


Fighting With Family

by Buffyworldbuilder



Category: Buffy the Vampire Slayer (TV), Stargate SG-1
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-15
Updated: 2021-02-15
Packaged: 2021-03-01 02:20:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 16
Words: 61,630
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23157712
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Buffyworldbuilder/pseuds/Buffyworldbuilder
Summary: This story takes place in February of Season 2 of BTVS.  Instead of Angelus killing Jenny, he kills Buffy's mother Joyce, so she calls her uncle, Colonel Jack O'Neil, who learns who her daughter is and what has been happening on Earth while he was fighting aliens.  He and his team are drawn into her world as she learns about his own. Family orientated with hints of romance.  All couples from season 2 of Buffy remain.
Comments: 57
Kudos: 70





	1. She's Dead

I was reading “Dawning Familiarity” by NotJana and was inspired to write my own story where Jack was Buffy’s family. I didn’t want to make him her father, however, because then he’d have too many rights to take her away from the hellmouth. I love SG/BTVS stories, but I struggle with writing stories set entirely in SG world because I just know BTVS better. I started thinking, what would happen if Joyce died and Uncle Jack was called to come to Sunnydale? Yes, I love Joyce, but for this story, she will have been killed by Angelus instead of Jenny Calendar. 

The setting of this story for SG-1 is between episode 3 and 4 of season 3 where Thor had had Colonel Jack O’Neill help him with a negotiation. Samantha was just promoted to Major. BTVS is in the end of season 2. 

Disclaimer: I don’t own any of the SG-1 characters or BTVS. 

Chapter 1: She’s Dead

*****SGC*****

Jack was glad to be done with negotiations on behalf of Thor and was just about to leave his office when his phone rang. He debated answering it. Who would be calling him at work at this hour? Then he shrugged. It couldn’t be official since it was late, so it probably wouldn’t involve more paperwork.

He walked over to his desk and picked up the phone. “Hello?”

“She’s dead, Uncle Jack! She’s really dead! It’s all my fault!” the female voiced wailed.

“What? Who’s dead?” Jack asked, gripping the phone tightly. “Buffy?” He only had one niece since he had just the one baby sister Joyce.

“I’m sorry!” she said, her voice breaking again.

“Buffy, are you okay? Did something happen to your mom?” he asked, bracing himself.

“She’s dead. Mom is dead!” Buffy exclaimed. “I can’t get Dad to answer. I don’t know what to do! I know I need to kill Angelus for killing mom, but I-I don’t know if I can.”

Alarmed, Jack yelled, “No! Do not try to revenge your mother’s death! I will be there as soon as I can. By morning. Don’t go anywhere. Are you at home?” 

“I am. He killed her and left her body in my bed!” Buffy said.

Jack felt sick. “Did you see it happen?” he asked, hoping she didn’t.

“No, but he left me a note,” she said. “I know it was him.”

“I’ll be there soon. Do you have a friend or someone there?” he asked, not wanting her to be alone.

“I have Giles,” she said. “He’s the librarian at the school.”

“Good. Stay put. Have Giles stay with you until I get there. I’ll see you in the morning, okay?” he said.

“Okay. Thanks,” Buffy said. “I love you, Uncle Jack.”

“I love you, sweetheart,” Jack said. Then he hung up, trying to process. 

His artistic baby sister had married a very ambitious man, and she’d sacrificed her own budding art career to be a trophy wife. When their marriage had fallen apart a few years ago, Jack had been happy as he’d never been overly impressed by Hank Summers. The man loved and spoiled Buffy just a bit too much for Jack’s taste. It was lazy parenting, so he didn’t have to impart much to her—Jack had always thought.

Joyce had come away from the divorce with enough money to buy a nice house in a very cheap town a few hours from Los Angeles and start her own art gallery. He’d been very proud of her. 

Now she was dead. He had to get a flight and get to Sunnydale as soon as possible because Buffy needed him.

After he reserved a spot on a flight leaving from Denver in four hours, he went to his CO’s office.

He was not surprised to see Hammond still there, so he quickly told him the situation.

“I’m so sorry,” General Hammond said. “What do you need?”

“I’m going to have to take leave,” Jack said. “Buffy said her father couldn’t be reached, and she claimed it was her boyfriend who murdered Joyce.”

“That’s a bad situation that you’re walking into. Do the police have him in custody?” he inquired.

“I’m not sure,” Jack said. “From Buffy’s comment, I’m thinking no. I’ve got to get there before she thinks to confront the killer.”

“Is that the kind of thing she would do?” he asked.

“I’ve not seen Buffy in about two years,” Jack said, feeling guilty about the fact. “She was a cheerleader, but then she got into some kind of trouble and kicked out of school. Fell in with a bad crowd or something. So I’m not sure. Joyce moved her from Los Angeles to a small town called Sunnydale that’s about two hours from L.A.”

“Well, go take care of her. Do you need a military transport?” he asked Jack.

Jack shook his head. “I’ve got a late flight in four hours. Luckily, flights from Denver to L.A. are frequent,” he said. “I will rent a car from the airport and drive there.”

“That can be risky,” Hammond said in disapproval. “You need to get a few hours sleep before getting behind a wheel. You won’t do your niece any good if you die in a car wreck.”

“I will be fine,” Jack said. He’d gone much longer without sleep and was trained to rest when he could. “I’ll sleep on the flight.”

“Do you want your team there in case there’s trouble?” Hammond asked.

Jack considered it. Daniel would be the least threatening but not much good in a dangerous situation. “I could ask Major Carter,” he said.

“Why don’t you just take the team?” Hammond said. “You’re not scheduled to go off world this week anyway. It’ll keep Dr. Jackson from working every day.

“I will ask them,” Jack said. “I don’t have much time, though. I need to go home and then to the airport, and Daniel can’t ever go anywhere in a hurry.”

“Why don’t you go ahead without them? I’ll talk to them, and they can leave tomorrow morning,” Hammond said. “Your sister’s address is in your emergency contact, right?”

“Yes,” Jack replied. 

“I will send them your way,” Hammond said.

Jack thanked his CO and left to go home and pack, grateful for having such an understanding and empathetic boss.

*****Sunnydale*****

Buffy hung up the phone after talking to her uncle and turned to Giles. “My uncle is coming,” she said.

Willow, Xander, and Oz were there. The police had just left.

“That’s good,” Giles said. “I’ll stay here until he arrives.”

Buffy’s front door opened, and Cordelia stepped in with Jenny, carrying a small bag.

“Rupert, I brought you some things,” she said. She went and hugged Buffy. “I’m so sorry, Buffy.”

“Thanks,” Buffy said. “Uncle Jack is coming. He will know what to do.”

“Does your uncle know you’re the slayer?” Cordelia asked.

Buffy shook her head. “No. He’s not been around since I got called because he’s got an important job with the Air Force. He’s like a major or colonel,” she said. “He’s got a bunch of medals, though. Been to a real war and everything. We saw him more when my cousin Charlie was alive, but Charlie died playing with Uncle Jack’s handgun. His marriage didn’t survive it. Then he went back to active duty and got real busy.”

“That’s awful,” Willow said. 

“It was horrible. Charlie was my only male first cousin and a real sweetheart,” Buffy said. “He’s not been to see us since I’ve been a slayer.”

“Although I’m glad he’s coming to help you with things, Buffy,” Giles began, “I’m not sure now is the time to bring him into this. It’s a lot for a person to take.”

“I know that, Giles!” Buffy said, angry. “It’s my life, and it’s too much to take. The man I loved—the man I gave myself to has turned into a real monster and murdered my mother just to hurt me. My kind and decent mother was brutally murdered because she didn’t know not to invite Angel inside the house. My mother is dead because I couldn’t bring myself to really kill Angelus because he’s wearing Angel’s face, and now it’s too late!”

“That’s not your fault, Buffy,” Willow said.

“No, it’s not,” Xander agreed. 

“You had no idea boning him would turn him evil again,” Cordelia said in the blunt manner of hers.

Buffy looked at Jenny. “No, I didn’t, but Jenny did,” she said. “If you’d warned us about the little clause in the curse, I wouldn’t have gotten so close to him.”

Jenny’s eyes filled with tears. Giles had just recently started talking to her again, but things weren’t right—not yet. She was hoping to give Angel back his soul to make amends, but now it was too late. Bringing Angel back after he’d kill her mother wouldn’t help Buffy. Angelus had to die.

“I’m sorry, Buffy. I’d give anything to change it. I thought he was leaving town, so it wouldn’t be an issue for a while,” she said. There was no excuse trying to explain again that she hadn’t quite understood how the curse worked.

“You were wrong,” Buffy said flatly. Then she turned away and went toward the stairs, heading to her room.

Willow started crying, heartbroken for Buffy. Mrs. Summers was so nice, and she didn’t deserve this evil thing that happened. Buffy shouldn’t be going through this, and there wasn’t anything Willow could do to make her feel better. 

Oz hugged Willow and led her over to the couch.

“What’s going to happen, Giles?” Xander asked. 

“Well, her uncle will arrange for a funeral,” Giles said.

“No, I mean Buffy’s a minor, and her dad lives in Los Angeles. Won’t he make her live with him?” Xander asked.

Everyone paused as the possibility of that hit them all.

“I will contact the Council. Kendra will need to be sent here indefinitely,” he said. “Regardless, Buffy won’t be in a state to keep a handle on things on her own.”

Cordelia let out a relieved sigh. “A second slayer is always a good thing,” she said. “Angelus is terrifying. I can’t believe he did that to Mrs. Summers.”

Angelus hadn’t turned Mrs. Summers—much to everyone’s relief. Instead, he’d strangled her, which in some ways was worse. The image of her struggling against an attacker would haunt them all, especially Buffy. 

“Then he left that sick note,” Xander said. He wished very badly he’d staked Angel when he first found out he was a vampire. Xander had wanted to then. However, he knew Buffy would never forgive him.

“This is just so horrible,” Willow said. “I can’t believe any part of Angel is in that monster!”

“It’s not,” Jenny and Giles said at the same time.

“Everything that was good in Angel was gone the moment he lost his soul, and the demon took over,” Giles said. “If we could bring Angel back, most likely he would not know firsthand that it happened.”

“I thought they kept the memories?” Cordelia asked.

“It’s like a possession of sorts. The body is the shell. When a vampire takes over the shell, the demon has access to all the memories,” Giles explained. “If the soul returned, the soul would have access to the demon’s memories, too. But neither were firsthand witnesses to the other’s activities.”

“What about this uncle? Why haven’t I heard about him?” Xander said.

“Buffy’s mentioned him to me before,” Willow said. She pointed to the mantle. “His picture is right there with Joyce’s.”

Everyone went to the photo to take a look and saw a very handsome man clearly older than Joyce in full military uniform next to Joyce, smiling at the camera.

“How did I not notice this picture?” Xander wondered.

“He looks like a nice guy,” Cordelia said.

“Yea,” Oz agreed.

“Let’s hope he’s a man who can handle the role Buffy plays,” Giles said. He understood Buffy’s desire to want to unburden herself to her beloved uncle, but he couldn’t help but worry at how she might react if the uncle reacted poorly.

“If he loves Buffy, he has to,” Xander pointed out. “Being the slayer is who she is.”

“Well, if Kendra is here full-time, couldn’t she give it up?” Cordelia asked.

Everyone was silent as her question and its implications hit them.

Finally, Giles answered, “I suppose she could for a time. But as a slayer, she will always attract the supernatural. It’s not something she can just turn off.”

Eventually, Willow and Xander went upstairs to say goodbye to Buffy, who insisted they didn’t need to stay since Giles was going to.

“Jenny and I are going to work on making sure Angel’s invitation was revoked since he got your mom to let him in again somehow,” Willow told them when she and Xander came back downstairs. They’d done this once already, but he’d managed to get in anyway. It was assumed that Joyce and re-invited him, not knowing the threat he posed.

“You know if Buffy’s mom had known the truth about Sunnydale and Buffy’s life, she might still be alive,” Cordelia pointed out. “By keeping her ignorant, Buffy didn’t really protect her.”

Willow glared at Cordelia. “Do you hear yourself when you talk?” she asked. “How can you say such a thing?”

“Don’t get mad at me for speaking the truth,” Cordelia said defensively.

“Hey, guys, let’s not fight,” Xander said.

“It’s not the time or place,” Oz said quietly, looking at Willow with a frown, which from him was a harsh rebuke.

After the teens had left, Jenny looked at Giles with indecision. However, she knew that she couldn’t keep secrets anymore from the man she loved.

“Rupert, I think I can bring Angel back,” she said softly. Would there be a point now? She didn’t know, but she knew that if she didn’t tell Giles, their relationship could never heal.

Giles looked up in surprise. “What do you mean?” he asked.

“I mean that I translated the original Gypsy curse, and I can re-curse him,” Jenny said. 

“Oh, dear,” he muttered. “Let’s discuss this after the funeral. This is not a decision you and I can make for Buffy.”

Jenny nodded in understanding. “I agree,” she said.

“Is there a way you can fix it to where the curse part of it doesn’t have that escape clause?” Giles asked.

“That kind of magic is beyond me,” she said. “It’s beyond anyone in the tribe that’s alive today. This is ancient magic, long forgotten.”

“Let’s not speak of it until I talk to Buffy after the funeral,” Giles said.

Jenny understood. “Will you call me tomorrow?” she asked.

“I will,” he said. He loved her and wasn’t sure he had it in him to keep her at a distance.

Jenny smiled and kissed him on the cheek before leaving.

*****The Next Day*****

Buffy woke up the sun barely breaking through the horizon and falling into her room. For one long moment, she didn’t remember that her mother was dead.

Then it hit her. 

“Mommy,” she said, her voice breaking. She cried an ocean of tears before she felt spent.

How had it come to this? How had she allowed Angelus to have access to her mother? The knowledge of her failure was a ball inside her stomach.

Suddenly, she jumped out of bed, running to the bathroom to throw up.

Her mother was dead, and it was her fault. She hadn’t protected the one person that should’ve come first.

Buffy brushed her teeth and then went to her bedside, picking up the phone. She called her dad and left him another message on his home line.

Why wasn’t he calling her? She’d left messages at his house, his work, and on his cell. He was too meticulous with messages and clients to not have gotten them.

She called his cell and said bluntly, “My mother is dead. It’d be great if my father cared enough to pick up the damn phone and call me back.”

Disgusted, she slammed the phone down, accidentally breaking it.  
“Great,” she muttered in disgust. “I really can’t do anything right.”

She heard the doorbell ring and grabbed a brush to run it through her hair before heading downstairs, hoping it would be her uncle.

Giles had already opened the front door. “Hello,” Giles said, looking at the clearly weary gray headed man about his height.

“Hi. Jack O’Neill,” he said, holding out his hand to Giles.

Giles stepped back, so Jack could step inside as he took the man’s hand. “Rupert Giles,” he said.

“The librarian?” he asked.

Giles asked. “Yes, I am that. The children spend a lot of time in the library,” he said.

Jack’s face showed his surprise. “Really? My cheerleader niece willingly spends time around books?” he asked.

“Hey, I’m not that bad!” Buffy said, coming down the stairs in time to hear that remark.

Jack finally laid eyes on his niece and could see that she was all grown up. “There’s my little Darcy,” he said with a smile.

Buffy rushed to hug him tightly.

“Easy there, kid,” he said, surprised by the force of her squeeze.

“Oh, sorry,” Buffy said, looking up at him sheepishly.

“Would you like some coffee?” Giles asked.

“I would love some,” Jack said. “I did get a few hours of sleep on the plane but just a few.”

“That’s surprising,” Giles said.

“Military training,” Jack admitted. “You sleep wherever and whenever you can when on a mission.”

Giles nodded. This man was not like most, and he couldn’t help but wonder how he’d handle the truth of Buffy’s life. He left them alone while he went to start the coffee.

“Let’s sit down,” Jack suggested. “Did you get a hold of your father?”

Buffy shook her head. “I left messages everywhere for him to call me, so he’s just not wanting to call me back,” she said. “This morning I called his cell and just flat told him Mom was dead. Maybe now I’ll get a reaction.”

“Are you up to telling me what happened?” Jack asked. “I can get it from the police if it helps.”

“I came home from a Valentine’s dance at the Bronze—that’s a club for teens in town,” she explained. “He’d set the scene. Rose petals from the doorway up the stairs to my room. I followed them, thinking Mom had a surprise ‘cause she knew how bummed I’d been over my break up with Angel.”

Jack felt sick as he pictured the scene, and he reached for her hand, holding it as she kept telling her horrific tale.

“When I opened my bedroom, Mom was lying on my bed, rose petals all around her,” Buffy said, her voice breaking. “There was a hand drawing of me on the pillow next to Mom’s head. He wrote, ‘I dream of you dead in my arms like your mother. Soon, lover.’ He signed it with an A.”

“You know it’s him?” Jack asked, trying to contain his rage. It wouldn’t help Buffy.

Buffy nodded. “When we first—broke up, he’d left drawings before at my place. I know his work and his handwriting,” she said. “It’s my fault—I got Mom killed!” She broke down in tears, and Jack pulled her into his arms.

“You are not to blame for what some maniac chooses to do!” Jack assured her.

While Giles had been making the coffee, he had gone into the garage and gotten a tire iron—just in case Buffy decided to tell her uncle the truth. He put it on the kitchen counter.

“Mr. O’Neill, how do you like your coffee?” he called from the kitchen doorway.

“Please, call me Jack or Colonel,” Jack said. “I take it black.”

Buffy grimaced. “That’s so gross!” she said, wiping her eyes.

“How would you know what it tastes like?” he asked. “Don’t you know it stunts your growth? Is that why you’re so short?”

“Hey! I’m not that short!” Buffy exclaimed. “My best friend Willow is my height and so is her boyfriend Oz.”

“I didn’t realize that Sunnydale was a town of little people,” he teased.

Buffy stuck out her lip in a pout. “That’s not funny!” she insisted.

“It totally is,” he countered, glad to see the tears gone for a moment.

Giles came in holding two cups of coffee. He handed one to Jack. “Thanks, Mr. Giles.”

“Oh, we just call him Giles,” Buffy said.

“Americans,” Giles muttered. “Call me Rupert, please, Colonel.”

“Only if you call me Jack,” Jack said, liking the British man. He did find it a bit odd, however, that such a formal guy was so close to his niece. “Care to explain how a British librarian is so close to an American teenage girl?”

Buffy looked at Giles and nodded. “I want him to know the truth, Giles. If I had told Mom, she might still be alive,” she said.

“I understand,” Giles said. He went and brought back the tire arm.

Jack instantly perceived the metal rod as a threat and stood to his feet, instantly on alert. “What’s going on?” he asked.

Giles handed it to Buffy, who said, “Relax, Uncle Jack. We need to tell you a story.”

They all sat down, and Giles took a drink of his coffee before beginning his tale. “The world is older than you might think. . .”

Jack listened to Giles; his face devoid of expression as he tried to make sense of what the British man was saying. At first, he was angry that a teacher would spin such wild tales to an impressionable young woman. Then as the tale went on, and he looked at his niece’s face, he re-evaluated. They were very serious.

“Buffy is the vampire slayer, called to fight the forces of darkness when she was fifteen. This town is on a hellmouth, and she has kept the world from ending on more than one occasion,” Giles said.

“You guys really believe this?” Jack asked.

Buffy picked up the tire iron. “I am faster and much stronger than normal humans,” she said. 

Jack was unable to hide his incredulity as he watched his tiny and frail looking niece effortlessly bend a tire iron. Then he watched her bend it back. His first thought was there was a foothold situation in Sunnydale.

Very carefully, he asked, “Have you ever seen any snake like creatures in this town?”

“Snakes?” Buffy asked, puzzled. “I’ve never seen a snake. Lots of demons and vampires but not snakes. Giles, are there snake demons?”

“The fraternity had a large snake-like demon, remember?” he reminded her.

“Oh, yea. The one those stooges tried to sacrifice me and Cordy to,” Buffy said with a snort. “It was so lame that I’d forgotten.”

“Someone tried to sacrifice you to a giant snake, and I didn’t even get a phone call?” Jack asked, his voice rising.

“Well, Mom didn’t know,” Buffy said, a flash of guilt on her face. “When I was first called back in Los Angeles, I sort of burned down the gym when a school dance was crashed by a bunch of vampires.”

“That’s when Buffy killed her first Master vampire—they are extremely powerful and hard to kill,” Giles added.

Buffy gave him a fond smile. “Anyway, I got blamed for knowing the crazy gang and expelled like I hadn’t done anything more than save everyone’s life,” she said with a touch of disgust. “When I told Mom and Dad about my new calling, they didn’t take it well.” She paused and looked at Giles—she’d never told him this part. “They actually had me committed to a mental institution for a few weeks.”

“What?” both Giles and Jack said.

“Yea,” Buffy said, looking sad. “It’s why I just couldn’t bring myself to tell Mom when Angel went evil. What if she tried to commit me again and Angel hurt my friends? I didn’t really think he’d go so far as to kill my mother.” Her eyes filled with tears again.

Jack felt sick. He was still struggling to accept her entire story, but he was withholding judgement. It was clear she was freakishly strong, and Sam’s head would explode if there wasn’t any scientific reason not to.

Sam! “Oh, I forgot to mention that my team will be here at some point today or tomorrow,” he said. “I hope it’s okay. When I told my CO that Joyce’s killer was at large, he kind of insisted.”

“Do you trust them?” Buffy asked.

“With my life,” Jack said without hesitation. He looked at his watch. “I’d really like to go to the police station and find out what they’re doing about this ex of yours.”

“Don’t bother,” Buffy said. “Angel is my problem, not theirs. They’re pretty useless anyway.”

“What do you mean by your problem?” Jack asked.

Now Buffy looked very uncomfortable and glanced at Giles for help.

Giles took off his glasses and began to clean them. “Unfortunately, Buffy’s not wrong,” he said. “Angel is a vampire, and thus, he falls into Buffy’s prevue.”

“You dated a vampire?” Jack asked in horror.

“He had a soul!” Buffy said quickly. “He was cursed by Gypsies like a hundred years ago.”

“He’s over a hundred years old?” Jack asked. He gave Giles a dark look. “You allowed her to date a man older than both of us put together? A vampire?”

“One doesn’t allow Buffy to do anything,” Giles said. “If you spent any time with her the past two years, you’d know that she has an iron will and does what she sees fit.”

“Well, sorry if I was busy fighting for my country,” Jack said coldly. He had saved the world a time or two, but he wasn’t allowed to add that bit.

“Hey, I’m standing right here, you know,” Buffy said, glaring at both of them. Then the phone rang, and she went to answer it.

“I know this is a lot to take in,” Giles. “You might be wondering if some of it is a lie. I assure you it is not. The Watcher’s Council in Great Britain has been around training girls for centuries.”

“I can’t believe they take children and train them to kill,” Jack said angrily. “That you are encouraging her.”

“We have nothing to do with who is called or that it’s always a young girl,” Giles said. “We just do what we can to train and support her, so she has a chance to survive. Buffy actually died last year when the Master drowned her and left her for dead. Angel and Xander saved her life—Xander gave her CPR as Angel had no breath to do it.”

“She’s died once already?” Jack asked, wanting to punch the man.

“Buffy’s friends all help her where they can—it’s against the rules set down by the Watcher’s Council,” Giles said. “But Buffy doesn’t care. Of course, they all found out her secret the first week. Willow and Xander were both nearly killed by vampires. Their other best friend, Jesse, was not only killed but turned. Xander had to stake him.”

“Oh, God,” Jack said. The life his niece was living broke his heart. He wanted to immediately take her away from all of it, but if he did, who would keep her friends alive?

How was he supposed to explain all this to his team?

*****To Be Continued*****

I hope you enjoyed this first chapter. Review if you want to read more. Thanks!


	2. Vampires Are Real

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Buffy and Jack plans her mother's funeral as Jack's team learns about the supernatural world.

I don’t know that Angel’s actually last name was ever mentioned. I figured he possibly named his kid Connor in honor of his surname, but who knows? If you do, let me know!

Chapter 2: Vampires Are Real

*****A Few Hours Later******

Although he heard it from Buffy, Jack needed to see the police report for himself. It wasn’t that he didn’t believe her, but the officer in him demanded that he find something a bit tangible to hold on to. He saw the sketch of the suspect Liam “Angel” O’Connor.

He memorized the man’s image, knowing that the dangerous man—or monster—was still at large. According to his niece, though, vampires could not come out in the daytime.

When he returned to his niece’s house, there were more people inside.

“Uncle Jack, this is Willow Rosenberg and Xander Harris, my best friends,” Buffy introduced.

“Hello, Colonel,” Xander said, holding out his hand.

“That’s a good handshake you got there,” Jack said, smiling warmly at the teen who had saved his niece’s life. “I hear that you once saved my niece’s life. Thank you.”

Xander grinned. “It’s not nearly as many times as she’s saved mine,” he said.

“It’s nice to meet you, sir,” Willow said, giving him a shy smile. 

Jack couldn’t help but like the redhead, who seemed sincere and a far cry from the type of friends Buffy used to have. He looked at the short redheaded man with colored tips with interest.

“This is Oz. He’s Willow’s boyfriend and a member of the gang,” Buffy said.

“Hey,” Oz said.

Jack smiled and shook his hand. “Gang?” he asked.

“Oh, we’re the Scooby Gang. Didn’t you get the memo?” Xander asked with a smirk.

Laughing, Jack said, “No, I must’ve missed it.” How did kids that faced death nightly have it in them to name themselves after a cartoon? He was starting to really admire these kids.

The doorbell rang, and Buffy went to open the door. To her surprise, it was her dad.

“Dad?” Buffy said. “I see you finally got my message.” She stepped back to let him come in without a verbal invitation as was her habit.

“I’m so sorry, sweetheart,” he said, pulling her in for a hug. “I was in the middle of a big merger, so I wasn’t looking at my phone much. When I finally got a chance to listen to them messages, I came here.”

“I was in Colorado and not only picked up when your daughter called, but I still beat you here,” Jack couldn’t resist saying to the man. He had never liked Hank much and since the divorce, he didn’t feel a strong need to hide his dislike. However, he knew Buffy didn’t need conflict, so he didn’t say more.

Hank frowned. “Glad you could be here for her, Jack,” he said smoothly. He turned back to his daughter. “Are these your friends?”

“Yes, this is Willow, Oz, and Xander. You missed Giles, my librarian,” Buffy said. “He spent the night when I had no parent or family to stay with me.”

“I’m sorry. Truly,” Hank said.

“I got here a few hours ago,” Jack said, unable to resist rubbing it in.

“So what happened?” Hank asked, not rising to the bait.

“Xander and I will let you catch up with your dad,” Willow said. “It was nice to meet you. I’m sorry it was for—ah—you know.”

“I do,” Hank said kindly. “Thanks for being here for Buffy.”

“We love our Buffster,” Xander said, putting his arm around her shoulders. “Call us if you need us.”

“I will,” Buffy said, leaning her head a moment against his shoulder. “Thanks.”

“I’ll be by with your homework after school,” Willow said to her. “It’s lunch now, so we need to get back.”

“Did you eat?” Jack asked them.

“Oh, Willow packed sandwiches that we gulped down. Oz has a van, so he drove us,” Xander said.

“Kids drive vans?” Jack wondered.

“If they’re a member of a band and need to move equipment and band members,” Oz said with a shrug.

“You sing?” Jack said.

“Not so much. I play guitar,” Oz said.

“Okay, we’re going to be late,” Willow said, anxious at the thought.

“Bye, guys,” Buffy said, walking them to the door.

After they left, Hank asked Buffy, “Did you call a funeral home?”

“There’s six in this town, so Giles picked one closest to the house,” Buffy said. 

“That’s fine,” Hank said. “What about your mom’s insurance? Do you know where she keeps her policy?” He foolishly forgot to bring the copy of it he had in his papers.

“No! Why would I? She just turned forty and should’ve lived for decades more,” Buffy said.

“Her lawyer should have everything in order,” Jack said. “When I divorced my wife, I spoke to Joyce about changing up things on my end. When you and she divorced, she contacted me about her stuff.”

“That’s good,” Hank said, clearly relieved. “I know what kind of flowers she liked and that she hated open casket funerals because they depressed her. She loved the Scottish bag pipe version of ‘Amazing Grace’.”

“How many days do we need before we schedule the funeral?” Jack asked. 

“We have those cousins in Chicago,” Buffy said.

“Yes, I’ll make some calls,” Jack said. “Probably Saturday. Does that seem okay? It’s four days.”

“It sounds fine to me,” Hank said. “Since it was a murder, will they release the body?”

“They told me tomorrow morning, they would be able to release it to the funeral home that Rupert had spoken with,” Jack said. “The director had already called.”

“Lots of dead bodies in this town, so competition is fierce,” Buffy said in disgust.

“We’ll need to put the house on the market,” Hank said.

“What? You wanna sell my home?” Buffy asked in dismay.

“I don’t want to, but you can’t stay here by yourself,” Hank said. “A new place will good for you. I think you’ll love Japan.”

“Japan? Why would I love Japan? I’m not going to Japan!” Buffy said, her voice going high.

“Honey, I just closed a deal that requires me to live in Japan for a year,” Hank said. “I’m moving in two weeks.”

Buffy felt stunned and looked at Jack for help. “That’s so far,” she said.

“Would you consider letting me have her for the year?” Jack said without hesitation. “I’m in Colorado, which is much closer. We can keep the house if Joyce’s insurance will cover the mortgage.”

“That’s a big commitment,” Hank said. “Are you sure your job will allow that?”

“Well, Buffy’s seventeen, not eleven, and if I had to be deployed for more than a day or so, I have close friends that could stay with her,” Jack said. “Or she could stay on base if she wanted.”

“That’d be better than Japan,” Buffy said, looking at her dad. She couldn’t contemplate being so far away from California.

“If that’s what you want, sweetie. I want you to be happy, and I know losing your mom is going to make things really hard,” Hank said, pulling her in for a hug.

Jack was relieved that Hank wasn’t going to be a jerk about it. “We’ll work it out,” he said.

“Part of the divorce required that I pay her life insurance as she was self-employed,” Hank said. “She had a hundred thousand dollars, which is usually not enough to pay off a house she’s only been in for a year. I know she bought it with a large down payment from our divorce settlement, but she also put a lot in her gallery. ”

“The market here is really cheap,” Buffy said. 

“If her lawyer doesn’t have a copy of her insurance, I’ll call my assistant to fax a copy,” Hank said.

“I will work out those details and let you know.,” Jack said. He had plenty saved, and if he needed to dip into his savings to pay off Buffy’s home for her, then he would gladly do so. His cabin and home were both paid off, and he rarely spent his paychecks.

Hank nodded. “I’ll leave that to you then. Let me know if you need any legal help,” Hank said as he was a corporate lawyer. “Buffy, are you sure you won’t consider going to Japan with me? I really think you’d love it.”

“Maybe I can come visit you over the summer for a month,” Buffy said. “I don’t think I’ll handle going there now. That would be too much change at once.”

“I get that,” Hank said. “But four weeks this summer, right?”

“I will,” Buffy said, hugging him. She didn’t know what to do, though, about the rest. “I need to go by the school—pick up some things.”

“Didn’t your friends say they were going to bring your homework?” Hank asked.

“Yes, but they won’t know what I’m needing,” Buffy said. “It’s in the library.”

Jack realized that she wanted to talk to Giles and said, “I can run you over there. Hank, are you going to stay the night, or do you have to get back tonight?”

“I need to get back, but I was hoping to take Buffy to dinner,” Hank said.

“That’s fine. My team is arriving in a few hours,” Jack said. “They arrived in Los Angeles an hour ago.”

“I can’t wait to meet them,” Buffy said, wishing that she was meeting them for a better reason. “Dad, if you want to make a sandwich or get something to drink, make yourself at home. The kitchen is through there.” She pointed. “The bathroom is that way.” She pointed again, and he nodded.

“I could do with a cup of coffee,” he said.

“We’ll be back soon,” Buffy said.

She followed her uncle into his rental car and looked at him when he started the car. “What am I going to do, Uncle Jack? I can’t leave the hellmouth unguarded. If I don’t patrol, people die.”

“You gotta take care of yourself, Buffy. You need some time,” Jack said. “I’m sure Mr. Giles has a plan for this kind of thing with that Council of his. A new slayer was called when you died for that minute, right?”

“That’s what Giles said. The slayer line doesn’t run through me anymore since I already died, which passed it on to Kendra. Kendra is the slayer in Jamaica. I guess she’ll have to come to Sunnydale,” Buffy said.

Jack didn’t like thinking about how the new slayer had to be called, so he drove her to the high school without comment. When they got inside the school, Principal Snyder spotted Buffy.

“Skipping school, Miss Summers,” he said with a smug smile. “I feel a detention or three in your future.”

“Excuse me?” Jack asked, giving the short man a dark look.

“Are you this delinquent’s father?” Snyder asked.

“No, I’m her uncle, Colonel Jack O’Neill, United States Air Force,” Jack said coolly. “And you are?”

“I’m the principal, Mr. Snyder,” he said.

“Well, my sister, Buffy’s mother, was murdered,” Jack said. “I find it strange that no one told you of this.”

“Oh, yes, I think I did hear that someone’s parent died,” Mr. Snyder said, not sounding particularly apologetic. “That’s too bad. I guess, you can be excused for the week.”

“Gee, I’m overwhelmed by your generosity,” Buffy said sourly. Then she continued to the library.

“That man is actually allowed to safeguard children?” Jack asked, wanting to go back and slug the man.

“We had a really nice and caring principal last year,” Buffy said. “He got eaten by some students that were possessed by a primal hyena spirit.”

Jack looked at her to see if she was joking. “Seriously?” he asked.

“As a heart attack,” Buffy said as she pushed open the library doors.

Jack closed his eyes a moment, not sure he could handle any more of the horror that was his niece’s life. 

Giles looked up as they came in. “Is everything all right?” he asked.

“You mean besides my mother being murdered by my psychotic ex?” Buffy asked.

None of her friends were in the library as they were in class.

“I meant has something new happened?” Giles asked gently.

“Sort of,” Buffy said. “My dad finally made to town, and he’s moving to Japan for a year.”

Giles blinked as he considered the implications. “You have to move to Japan?” he asked.

“Uncle Jack said I could stay with him in Colorado,” Buffy said. “Dad wanted to sell our house, but Uncle Jack says he will make sure it’s paid off and stuff, so I can come to Sunnydale when I’m needed.”

Giles took off his glasses to clean them as he considered what to say. “I will speak to the Council. They will send Kendra and her watcher here,” he said. “I already spoke to them about bringing her here short term.”

“Will they let you come with me?” Buffy asked. She’d only been with Giles less than two years, but she couldn’t imagine not having him in her life.

“I don’t know,” he said. “You need to take a break from slaying, Buffy, and focus on living without your mother. That won’t be easy.”

Jack observed the two of them without interfering. It was clear that they were close, and Rupert wanted what was best for her. He moved closer to them. “I agree. She needs a break,” he said.

“What I need is to rid the world of Angelus,” Buffy said. “I can’t leave town with him around to terrorize my friends and kill who he wants to kill!”

“It’s possible without you here to torment, Angelus will go bored with your friends,” Giles pointed out.

“I promise, Buffy, that I will help you take out Angelus before we leave town,” Jack said. “My team will be here soon.”

“They know nothing of the supernatural,” Buffy said. “You’ll just get them killed.”

“I have to agree with Buffy,” Giles said. He didn’t like military people and strangers knowing Buffy’s secret and in effect, his own. However, he knew that Buffy felt her secrecy is what led to her mother’s death. In Sunnydale, ignorance wasn’t bliss—it could get you killed. “You will be endangering your team.”

“You don’t know my team or what kind of training they’ve had,” Jack countered.

“Well, I will take them on patrol tonight—you, too—and see how you guys do,” Buffy said.

“Just so you know, my second in command, Dr. Samantha Carter, is a scientist, and will struggle with all this,” Jack warned. “Don’t let her rattle you with her skepticism. Teal’c and Daniel will take it in stride.” He didn’t want to give his niece Teal’c’s false name as she might sense he wasn’t exactly human. He was going to have a lot to explain to General Hammond.

*****Several Hours Later*****

To say that Sam’s head was about to explode as the librarian told them a fairy tale was an understatement. She gave Jack a look of disbelief, but before she could open her mouth in protest, Buffy cut her off. Buffy had met the team briefly before going to dinner with her dad. Jack had helped his team get settled as Buffy insisted a hotel wasn’t safe for them. Sam got the guest room, which was full of boxes but had a sofa that pulled out into a bed. Jack and Daniel were sharing her mom’s room while Teal’c took the couch. Although her uncle had warned her about Dr. Carter, Buffy was still not pleased with the woman’s look of disbelief.

“Let’s not waste time telling me that my life is impossible,” Buffy said, facing her skepticism. “I don’t need a Brainiac to tell me magic is impossible, and vampires aren’t real. My friends and I have lived impossible lives and seen things that would probably turn your hair gray. I know my boyfriend was a vampire and lost his soul when he had one moment of happiness with me just as his curse predicted. He killed my mother, and he’ll kill all of you. So think of him as some psychotic perp if it makes you feel better—I don’t care. I’ll take you patrolling in a bit, and you can see for yourself that this wooden stake,” she held up her Mr. Pointy, “will turn a vampire to dust.”

Daniel was practically bouncing on the seat in the library. They’d arrived a few hours ago, and Buffy had her friends and her librarian meet the team there instead of her house.

“This is so fascinating,” Daniel said. “I have read many ancient myths that mention demons and an ancient female warrior, but I thought it was just a myth.”

“It’s not,” Giles said. He’d been pleasantly surprised to meet Dr. Jackson as a member of Jack’s team. That the notorious anthropologist was a member of a military team stationed at a base that supposedly studied deep space made Giles very suspicious about the true nature of their work. However, he wouldn’t mention it now as Buffy had enough to worry about. He and Jack, though, would most definitely be having a talk before he left town.

“So what kind of name is Teal’c?” Xander asked the big guy. He was wearing a knitted hat that covered his forehead, which was weird. “You know you’re in California where it’s hot? No need for a hat like that.”

“I am from Zimbabwe,” Teal’c said. “It’s in Africa, and I have a tribal tattoo that often disturbs Americans.”

“This is Sunnydale. The people in this town don’t blink at demons walking around,” Cordelia said with a snort. “They’re not going to care if you’re deformed.”

“Cordelia!” Willow admonished.

Jack grinned, amused by the brassy teenager. “He’s not deformed,” Jack said.

Teal’c took off his hat, deciding it was the simplest way to end their curiosity. As they had revealed all their secrets to him, he felt it more honorable to share some part of himself.

“Wow! That’s so cool!” Xander said. “Did it hurt?”

“Of course, it hurt!” Cordelia said. “That’s gold burned into his head, doofus!”

“Intense,” Oz said.

“Insane,” Willow said.

“Who cares?” Buffy said dismissively. “We got bigger things to worry about. Spike and Drusilla will be holed up wherever Angelus is. Alone, they are hard to beat. Together, it’s even worse. Dru’s got that whole thrall thing going on for her.”

“Thrall?” Sam asked.

“She has the ability to hypnotize people and has some degree of second sight,” Giles said.

“Not the time, Sam,” Jack said as he saw her open her mouth again. He’d warned his team that they would see and hear things that would go against their belief system.

Samantha was frustrated. It was clear that this librarian had dragged these poor kids into an occult of some kind. Why her CO wasn’t going on the offense was beyond her. Samantha worked hard to keep her protests to herself.

“Teal’c, would you mind standing next to me,” Buffy asked, deciding a slight demonstration was in order.

“Of course,” he said, rising and standing by her.

“Dr. Carter, will you come and try to pick up Teal’c?” Buffy asked.

Sam frowned. “I doubt I could lift him,” she said. She was considerably taller than Buffy, but she was much shorter than Teal’c. 

“Just humor me,” Buffy said.

Sam looked at Jack, who nodded. Shrugging, she walked over to Teal’c and stood behind him, trying to lift him. No surprise that he didn’t get off the ground.

“What’s the point of this?” Sam asked.

“I’m going to show you that the supernatural is real, and that I am a supernatural creature,” Buffy said. She moved behind Teal’c and effortlessly lifted him off the ground. It was slightly awkward as he was so tall, but she made her point.

“How is that possible?” Sam asked.

“It’s like Buffy said. Magic is real, and Buffy is a vampire slayer, chosen to fight the forces of darkness,” Giles said.

“I am a better fighter than all of you,” Buffy said to her uncle and his team. “I am stronger, faster, and can use any weapon like I’ve been trained for decades. It’s all part of the slayer package.”

“Are we going to go patrol?” Xander asked.

“Yes, let’s get going,” Buffy said. She and Xander moved to get the weapons and began passing them out. Cordelia and Oz got a crossbow.

“That’s a dangerous weapon to give a child to,” Jack said, not sure how he felt about it.

“It’s a good thing they’re not children,” Buffy said, giving him a cheeky grin. “Relax, Uncle Jack, we’ve all been trained by Giles on how to use those things. We know there’s a hair trigger and not to point it unless we plan on shooting.”

Xander handed the big guy a second axe and a wooden stake. Jack and Sam were given swords and a stake.

“Do not hand Daniel a weapon,” Jack said. “He’ll just get himself killed.”

“He has to have a stake, Uncle Jack,” Buffy said. “He can stay in the back with Oz and Cordy. They’ll protect them.”

Daniel was slightly insulted that he’d been regulated to being guarded by teenagers, but he was still excited to witness firsthand the things Buffy and Dr. Giles had spoken about. Unlike Sam, he believed what they were saying because Jack wouldn’t have stayed quiet if it was a hoax of some kind. Nor would Jack allow his niece to be mixed up with nut jobs. He would’ve already taken steps to remove her if it was a hoax of some kind. Sam’s faith was in science while his was in people.

As Buffy and Giles led them out of the school, Sam fell in step with her CO. “Jack, your niece has clearly fallen in with some kind of cult. I can’t believe you’re okay with this,” she said.

“Carter, let’s table this discussion until after we see what there is to see,” Jack suggested.

“Fine,” Sam said in resignation. “But I want it on the record that I strongly protest this.”

“Duly noted,” Jack said. He moved to take a step closer to his niece. He didn’t care what she said—he was going to watch her six. His gun would make him feel better, but he hadn’t realized that he would be demon hunting when he left his house last night. Normally, when he was off duty, he wasn’t packing his weapon. However, his sister had been brutally murdered and was still at large. Luckily, he had went with his gut and had instructed Hammond to have Sam bring his weapon on her military transport since he couldn’t carry it on a commercial plane.

They made it to the first graveyard. “This is the spot,” Giles said.

“Okay,” Buffy said. She sat on top of a nearby tombstone while Jack and Daniel looked at her in surprise.

“So you’re just sitting down?” Jack asked.

“Well, yea,” Buffy said. “We gotta wait until the guy rises.”

Teal’c looked at the newly covered grave with interest. He had been on Earth a few years now, and no one had ever informed him that vampires were real. If he understood O’Neill’s niece, one was about to come out of the grave.

“You don’t seriously expect us to believe that the dead will find a way to crawl out of the grave?” Sam asked incredulously.

“I don’t really care what you believe,” Buffy said with a shrug. “It’s no biggie. Dead rise. I slay. Then I move on to one of the other dozen cemeteries in this town to see if I can find anymore.”

“You do this every night?” Daniel asked in surprise.

She nodded. “The gang only comes with me when they want to,” Buffy said. “I used to patrol with Angel, so they weren’t really needed.”

“When Buffy and I want to hang, we go with her,” Willow said. “Xander usually brings sacks.”

They all looked at Xander who was pulling chips out of a bag. “Chip?” he asked, holding the bag out.

Jack gave him an incredulous look and just shook his head. These kids were something else.

A few minutes later, the SG-1 saw a sight they had yet to see. A man’s hand poked through the dirt.

“Colonel O’Neill, there is a hand sticking out of the grave,” Teal’c said, his voice showing more emotion than normal.

“I am hallucinating, right?” Sam asked.

Daniel pulled out his cell phone and started recording. “General Hammond is not going to believe this,” he said excitedly.

“Better step back,” Xander advised him. “Buffy’s going to put the vamp in her hurt locker.”

He and Cordy take a step back as he handed his girlfriend a chip. Oz and Willow were in front of Daniel and pushed him slightly back.

When the vampire managed to pull itself from the dirt, Buffy jumped down. “That took way too long. I got lots of things to do—next time, let’s hurry up,” she said, holding up her stake.

“Slayer!” the vampire hissed, somehow knowing he was facing an enemy.

“Slayee,” Buffy said with a grin. Then she attacked.

“Should we help her?” Jack asked Giles.

“No, she can easily manage one vampire,” Giles said. “The older the vampire, the stronger they are. A fledgling like this is easily dispatched. Angelus is over two hundred years old and is a master vampire—as are Spike and Drusilla.”

It took Buffy less than two minutes to dust the vampire, and Daniel got it all on his phone. 

“I don’t believe it,” Sam said as the vampire actually turned to dust.

“If you don’t pull out your stake fast enough, it will turn to dust, too,” Buffy said, holding up her stake.

She took them to three more cemeteries and fought four more. Cordelia and Oz each killed a vampire with their crossbows. At one point, Buffy encouraged her uncle to fight a vampire.

“He’s a newbie, Uncle Jack, so he’s not very strong,” she said. “Aim for the heart.”

Jack moved forward, determined not to humiliate himself in front of the teenagers.

The vampire was fast, and Jack got knocked hard in the face. “It’s strong,” Jack said.

“Yep,” Buffy said. “If you slap them around a while, it softens them up for the stake to the heart.”

Jack knew he couldn’t handle a fight like his niece apparently could, so he hit the vampire hard in the face and then lunged forward, slamming the stake into the heart. At the last second, he remembered to pull out his stake.

Buffy cheered as her friends clapped. “That was great, Uncle Jack! You are a natural. Now we have to get your friends some vamps to kill,” she said. “Normally, I don’t get so many in a night unless I find a nest. So we might have to wait until tomorrow.”

Unfortunately, a voice spoke from behind a large crypt.

“An uncle? You brought me a present?”

They all turned toward the voice, and a body stepped out for them to see.

Buffy’s stomach dropped as she saw the face of her lover. The smirk, though, wasn’t Angel.

“Hello, lover,” Angelus said.

*****To Be Continued*****

Super glad to have this story so warmly received. I hope everyone enjoyed this update. For those who take exception to Buffy sharing her secret, I would just remind you that for my story it was necessary. Also, she had no qualms about sharing it with Xander and Willow in her first day in town. Shrugged when Ford knew and didn’t care when Oz found out. Review if you have time. Thanks!


	3. Gone

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Buffy faces Angelus and then must face her mother's funeral while Jack and his team try to help.

Chapter 3: Gone

_*****Where We Left Off*****_

Just the sight of Angelus filled Buffy with conflicting feelings. Rage and a deep sense of loss warred within her. That Angelus had used Angel’s connections to Buffy to kill her mother made her want to hurt him badly. Angel, though, would not want Angelus to continue to hurt others, especially her. Knowing his body had been used to kill Buffy’s mother would pain him immensely. By killing Angelus, she’d be setting Angel free.

Determined, Buffy didn’t hesitate to attack Angel.

“Keep an eye out for Spike and Drusilla,” Giles said to the others.

Jack and his team were spell bound as they watched Buffy fight Angel. The display of power they both showed should have been impossible. When Angel hit Buffy so hard that she broke a tombstone, Jack moved to help.

Giles grabbed his arm. “Don’t distract Buffy,” he said.

“He’s killing her,” Jack said angrily.

“No, he isn’t,” Giles said. “Slayers are meant to handle a lot of pain. Buffy hasn’t even begun to reach her threshold yet.”

When his niece got up and attacked Angel with equal fury, Jack relaxed slightly.

Daniel had been so shocked by the fight that his phone was held uselessly in his hand, but he finally raised it up as began recording again. 

“This is incredible,” Sam murmured. Not even a Jaffa possessed with a Goa’uld could fight in such a manner.

Teal’c was wondering when he could test his mettle against such a warrior, and he moved to Jack’s side.

“I should join in and help her,” Teal’c said.

“It would bring up questions,” Jack said.

“We cannot allow this monster to live another day,” Teal’c said.

Jack knew Teal’c was right. The burden of killing the monster with her lover’s face might be too much for his niece, so he relented, nodding. “Okay. Try to incapacitate him and then go in for the kill,” Jack advised.

Teal’c nodded and moved to the side, trying to come upon Angelus unaware. However, Angelus had a highly tuned since of danger.

“Who’s your new friend?” Angelus asked, turning toward Teal’c.

“None of your business,” Buffy said, kicking out with her leg and hitting Angel in the stomach.

Teal’c moved quickly and swung his axe. Angelus raised his arm and deflected the blow. “So you want to play, big guy? Fine,” Angelus said. He didn’t like, though, to be outnumbered and was looking for a way to escape.

Jack decided that he and Samantha would move in position to flank the vampire. “This will end tonight,” Jack announced. “You are not going to live another night to kill and hurt others.”

“You are just human,” Angelus said with sneer. “You can’t kill me.”

Teal’c, though, hit him hard in the face. Then Jack pulled out his gun and aimed for Angelus’ spine, hoping to help immobilize him.

The teenagers all flinched when the gun when off. Buffy glared at her uncle. “Put that away!” she ordered.

Angelus screamed in pain and rage, trying to turn to attack the uncle. However, his legs refused to work.

“You shouldn’t have killed my mother,” Buffy said, stabbing him in the stomach with her sword, wanting to hurt him.

Teal’c, however, wanted to dispatch the monster and swung the blade at the vampire’s neck.

They all watched as Angelus’ form turned to dust. 

Buffy felt relieved, and then a wave of pain hit her. She fell to her knees sobbing. Angel was gone forever; her mother was dead.

It was too much.

Jack put his gun away and moved to Buffy’s side, wrapping his arms around her.

Giles went to her friends, suggesting they dispatch to their homes. “I will see you tomorrow at school,” Giles said. He looked at Oz. “You will drive them home?”

Oz nodded and led the teenagers away.

“Let’s give Buffy some privacy,” Giles said. “Come. I will lead you safely back to Buffy’s home.”

Daniel put up his phone and kept his grip on the wooden stick, his mind full of the night’s incredible events.

Teal’c stayed vigilant as he followed behind Daniel and Samantha. It had been an extraordinary night.

***** _The Next Day*****_

Samantha Carter was too much of a scientist to dismiss what she’d witnessed the night before. She’d hardly slept a wink thinking about the implications.

Deciding to fix breakfast for everyone, she was in the kitchen when Buffy came down.

Sam looked at the poor girl with compassion. “Are you hungry?” she asked.

Buffy nodded and reached for a piece of bacon. “This is nice. Thanks,” she said.

“I’m sorry,” Samantha said.

“For what?” Buffy asked.

“For not believing you,” Samantha said.

Buffy shrugged. “No biggie. You’re science gal—it goes against all the rules of science,” she said. “But Giles and Jenny can probably answer a lot of your questions.”

“Who’s Jenny?” Samantha asked.

“She’s the computer teacher at the school—a Gypsy and techno-witch,” Buffy said. “She’s also Giles’ special female friend.”

Samantha marveled at the small smile the young woman wore. To be able to smile at anything after what she’d went through was a miraculous and showed how strong she was. “I’d like to meet her,” she said as she flipped the pancake. “What’s a techno pagan?”

“It’s something to do with using magic and technology,” Buffy said with a shrug.

Samantha’s eyes lit up. “That’s possible?” she asked.

Buffy nodded. “Supposedly,” she said. “I don’t keep up with the magics—that’s Willow’s department. Giles used to dabble, but he was into bad stuff like demon raising. So he stays away from it mostly.”

“Your life is incredible,” Samantha said. “I’m sorry for what you have endured.”

“Thanks,” Buffy said. She eyed the attractive woman with interest. “So are you and my uncle close?”

“We’ve worked together now for nearly three years, so we know each other very well,” Samantha said. She moved to start the coffee. “The smell of this stuff should bring him down since the bacon didn’t.”

Buffy smiled. “Yea, I don’t need coffee. I wake up fully awake,” she said.

“It must be nice,” Samantha said. “Is that a slayer thing?”

Buffy shook her head. “No, I was like that before I was called,” she said. “Now, I just need less sleep than a normal person.”

“That would be a blessing in my line of work,” Samantha said. “As I scientist, there’s always projects that I need to do, but I’m also an active duty soldier. I don’t always have enough hours in the day.”

“So you work closely with Uncle Jack?” Buffy asked, interested in learning more about her. Now that she knew Buffy wasn’t lying, the woman was much more relaxed and cordial.

“Yes, his team goes with him everywhere,” Samantha said. “General Hammond ordered us to join him here in case there was trouble with your mom’s killer, but we would’ve come without the orders. We’ve become very close.”

“He has his own Scooby gang. That’s good,” Buffy said. “You and Uncle Jack ever dated?”

Samantha looked surprised and uncomfortable at the question. _Interesting_ , Buffy thought. 

“No, we aren’t allowed to fraternize that way,” Samantha said. “Officers can’t date each other, especially not a superior officer.”

“That’s too bad,” Buffy said. “He’s such a great guy.”

“Yes, he is,” Samantha agreed.

“What if you just focused on the science and not the military?” Buffy suggested. “Couldn’t you have a full life doing amazing science stuff and then be with Uncle Jack?”

Samantha considered how to best answer the girl’s question. “Well, I enjoy doing both, and my military career is very important to me. Do you know how few women earn the rank of Major? Let alone beyond. Your uncle has had a long career—he could just as easily retire and choose to be with me if our relationship was like that, which it’s not.” She made sure she was very clear.

“My uncle is such a great guy, and I want him to be happy,” Buffy said. “Life’s way too short. I died once already, and my mom was about your age. You never know when your time is up.”

Neither woman saw Jack in the doorway, frozen at the conversation. He carefully stepped back and knocked into Daniel.

“Sorry, Danny,” he said. “I’m clumsy without my coffee.”

Daniel’s eyes were barely open. “I smell coffee,” he said, pushing passed Jack. 

Grinning, Jack followed Daniel into the room. He tried to put the conversation he’d accidentally overheard out of his mind by focusing on his niece.

He planted a kiss on the top of her head. “How did you sleep?” he asked.

“I got a few hours,” Buffy said. “Are we going to go pick out the casket and flowers today?”

Jack nodded. “Yes,” he said. “If you’re not up for it, I can go without you.”

“I think I’d like to do it, and then go to school,” Buffy said. “I’ll catch the afternoon classes.”

“You don’t have to,” Jack said.

“I’d like to wrap up this week, spend time with my friends,” Buffy said. “My leaving will be hard on them.”

“Do you know when the other slayer will get here?” Samantha asked.

Buffy shook her head. “The last time, she snuck in on a ship. I made her fly back. She’s very council trained—like a robot,” Buffy said. “Luckily, I loosened her up a bit.”

“So tell me what that means?” Daniel asked. “Council trained?”

“Well, normally, the Council separates the potentials from their family and places them with a watcher at a young age,” Buffy said. “There’s this whole slayer handbook they memorize. Their goal is to turn them into good little slayers who follow all orders without questions—that’s definitely not me. I’m an American. We question everything!”

“As a solider, Sam and I follow orders we don’t always like,” Jack pointed out.

“You’re a bee drone—that’s not my style,” Buffy said, sticking her tongue out at him.

“A handbook? Can I see one?” Daniel asked eagerly.

Buffy grinned at the man. “You are way too much like Giles. Ask him. He’s the book man. He says he threw it out after meeting me,” she said.

Jack laughed. “Smart man. He knew a losing battle when he saw one,” Jack said.

“Slayers die young because they’re like Kendra—no support but the Watcher. The Council sees girls as just tools. The slayers change, but the Council remains,” Buffy shared.

All the adults looked very upset at that. “I’d like to meet this Council,” Jack said grimly.

“Giles isn’t like them,” Buffy said. “He loves me and lets my friends help.”

“There’s still more he can do,” Jack said. “Your friends need more training—self-defense.”

“Well, if Kendra’s watcher comes with her, and Giles stays here, he can focus on them,” Buffy said.

Jack nodded. “What if the Council sends Giles to you in Colorado or make him go home to England?” Jack wondered.

Buffy looked visibly upset at the thought. “They better not!” she announced. “I won’t work for another Watcher.”

“Do you mind if Sam and I spend the day with Dr. Giles?” Daniel asked.

“Yes, I’d like to meet this computer teacher Buffy told me about,” Samantha said. “She uses magic with technology.”

“Really?” Jack asked. “That seems like a useful skill.”

Daniel and Sam chatted excitedly about the possibilities.

They ate breakfast after Teal’c joined them, and then got ready for the day. Jack dropped his friends off at the school while Teal’c stayed with him and Buffy.

“I would very much like to train with you some time,” Teal’c told Buffy.

“Are you great at the hand-to-hand?” Buffy asked. “You look strong. I fought a vampire named Luke that was your size. He was slow and stupid, though.”

“Teal’c is neither of those,” Jack said, smiling at his friend.

“I have trained in combat since I was a boy,” Teal’c said.

“Cool,” Buffy said. “Do you have any demon ancestry?”

“Not to my knowledge,” Teal’c said. “I was unaware demons were real until coming to your town.”

“Why do you ask that?” Jack wondered. Could she sense his symbiote?

“’Cause you give my spidey sense a slight tingle,” Buffy said.

“Huh?” Jack asked, confused.

“I can sense evil and things that aren’t normal,” Buffy said. “When Mom dated Ted the robot, I knew something was off about him even though he wasn’t exactly evil since he was a robot.”

“What?” Jack asked, dumbfounded.

“Oh, that’s a long story,” Buffy asked, looking sheepish. “Mom was probably too embarrassed to tell you about it.”

“You think I seem evil?” Teal’c asked, disturbed.

“Oh, no, not evil,” Buffy said. “Just not quite normal.”

“Joyce dated a robot named Ted?” Jack asked in bemusement. He really should’ve kept in touch more. To think of what his girls had gone through without him filled him with a strong sense of guilt. 

“That’s a long story, Uncle Jack,” Buffy said. “I’ll tell you later. No distracting me from telling me what’s the what with Teal’c. Demon? Alien? Super Soldier?”

“There’s something special about Teal’c, Buffy, but it’s classified,” Jack said, not wanting to lie. “I’d rather you not ask questions about him, especially not around your friends.”

“I can do that, but Kendra will probably attack him on sight if you’re not careful,” Buffy said. “She’s like a gun more than a warrior. She tried to kill Angel when she first saw him. I had to kick her ass.”

Jack laughed, amazed at the woman his niece was becoming. She was so strong and loyal, but she was still open and honest. His sister had done an amazing job raising her.

“You think the other slayer will sense that I am special?” Teal’c asked carefully.

Buffy nodded. “Probably,” she said. “All slayers have different gifts. She has a stronger evil detector than I do, but I have more prophetic dreams.”

“You get prophetic dreams?” Jack asked.

“Didn’t we mention that?” Buffy asked.

“No, you did _not_ ,” Jack said, wondering what else his niece was leaving out.

“Sometimes, I get these really cryptic dreams whenever something bad is about to go down,” she said. “They’re confusing and sometimes I don’t know what they mean—that’s Watcher territory.”

“Did you have any warning about Angel?” Teal’c asked.

Buffy shook her head. “No. Jenny Calendar, the computer teacher, knew, though,” Buffy said, her voice going hard. “She is a member of the original Gypsy clan that cursed Angel. She was sent here to watch him as the clan could tell his suffering was less because he was happy with me.”

“She knew and didn’t tell you?” Jack asked outraged.

“I’m not sure if she knew he’d lose his soul like that if we slept together,” Buffy said. “I’m pretty pissed still, but I know she feels pretty awful. Giles loves her, and I love Giles. I have to get over it.”

“Some distance from this entire town will be really good for you,” Jack said, glad that he could take her away from the horrible place.

Buffy nodded. “Yea,” she said.

They arrived at the funeral home and spent the next hour making plans. The entire process was really depressing, and she was glad to get back to the distraction of school.

When Jack made it back to his sister’s house, he put in a call to her lawyer to find out about the house. Then he called General Hammond.

That was a long call.

“I will make some inquiries,” Hammond said. “I find it unlikely that there’s not someone in the know in our government.”

“I have to get her read in, sir,” Jack said. “I can’t lie to her about what we do when she’s been so open with me. She already senses that Teal’c is different and claims the new slayer will, too.”

Hammond considered it. “Have her Watcher come to Colorado with her. I will work on getting clearance for them both once I have him thoroughly investigated,” Hammond said. “The Brits are our strongest allies. He could be an asset if he’s got connection to this Watcher’s Council.”

“Slayers have enough on Earth to worry about, sir,” Jack said. “They don’t need to worry about aliens, and they don’t have nearly the support they need to have.”

“We will discuss this further. You bury your sister, and then bring your niece home with you,” Hammond said. “Some time away will do her good.”

“That’s my hope,” Jack said. “Danny did record a vampire rising from his grave and Buffy’s fight with Angelus.”

“Have him send it to me ASAP,” Hammond instructed.

“Will do,” Jack said.

“I will be in touch,” Hammond said.

Jack looked at his phone, deciding what to do next. It was time to start calling relatives. 

***** _The Funeral******_

Buffy couldn’t handle having to sit through a church service and a graveside service, so they were having the funeral at the graveside only. She’d lost the battle of vetoing a gathering at her home afterward. Jack said it was good to see the family and let them pay their respects.

Several of her mother’s friends from Los Angeles had made it to the funeral as Hank had also made some calls. Buffy stood between her dad and uncle and barely heard the words from the minister.

When he began to read from the familiar Psalms, Buffy looked up at her dad. “Do you think that’s true, Daddy? Will Mom be dwelling in God’s house?” she asked.

Hank gave her a tender look, putting his arm around her shoulder. “She was a good woman, who died violently. If anyone is going to be in God’s house, it will be her,” he assured her.

Buffy hoped so. She tried not to think of Angel suffering in hell. Was he at peace? She glanced over at Giles, who stood slightly behind her. Kendra and her Watcher Sam had made it that morning, and they were next to Giles. It was a relief that the slayer was there, so Buffy could leave without feeling so guilty.

Giles was going to come with her and help her get settled. Although she was very happy to be with her uncle, having Giles around for a few extra days would be nice.

Her wandering mind had her missing the last of the minster’s words, and people began putting flowers on her mom’s coffin.

How could that be her mother in there? Her dad had asked to see her body earlier at the funeral home. Buffy hadn’t wanted to go with him, but she also didn’t want him to do it alone.

That empty shell wasn’t her mother, so Buffy stayed outside the door. She’d seen her mother right after she was murdered, and she didn’t want the cover-up version that the funeral home did to wipe her last image of her mother—at least that’d been real. 

When Hank came out, he looked incredibly sad. “I did really love your mother,” he told her.

“I know, Dad,” she said.

“We just drifted apart,” he said. “I let my job become too important, but she was a good woman.”

Buffy nodded and hugged her father.

As they began lowering her mother’s coffin, she remembered her dad’s grief earlier and looked up at him. He remained stoic. Buffy felt more than a bit numb as her tear ducts remained dry.

Her friends each took turns hugging her.

“We’ll see you back at your house, Buffy,” Giles said.

Buffy nodded, feeling wooden. She couldn’t keep her eyes off the coffin as it was lowered into the ground. Only her dad and Uncle Jack remained with her.

It was over.

Like Angel, her mother was gone.

Soon, she would leave the hellmouth behind and be in a new town.

What was she going to do without her mother?

The tear ducts she had believed were bone dry begin to fill.

***** _Chapter End*****_


	4. Colorado

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Buffy and Giles head to Colorado and learn about the SGC.

Chapter 4: Colorado

******A Week Later******

Jack glanced at Buffy, who was staring out the window of the plane. They’d buried Joyce a week ago, and now Buffy was ready to start her temporary life with him. Giles was in the seat in front of him, having agreed to help Buffy get settled. Jack had not yet talked to him about Hammond’s request, figuring he’d wait until they landed.

Buffy was seven weeks into the semester at school and transferring wouldn’t be easy. From what he understood, Buffy had gotten a lot of help from Willow. However, she wouldn’t have the distraction of staying up slaying, so Jack hoped things would go well for her.

The slayer who was replacing her was very different from Buffy, and Jack worried for the young girl. Kendra was so serious and intent on her mission. It might serve her well, or it’d get her killed. Buffy would feel very responsible if anything happened to her or any of the others while she was away.

Buffy had been correct in her prediction about Kendra. When Teal’c came into the room after Kendra and her watcher had arrived, Kendra had noticeably tensed, demanding to know who had invited a vampire into the house. Their cover story for Teal’c was paper thin after Kendra’s reaction, and Jack knew Teal’c could not return to the hellmouth without blowing the cover completely.

Luckily, Jack was able to pay off the mortgage on her house, so Buffy didn’t have to worry about losing it. He put half of Joyce’s insurance in savings for Buffy’s college, and then half on the house. He paid off the rest. Buffy had invited Kendra and her watcher to stay at the house to keep the vampires and other demons from squatting in the place. The Council would pay the utility bills. 

Jack planned on allowing Buffy to return to Sunnydale in the summer as Rupert promised to stay with her when Jack was unable to. 

“Penny for your thoughts,” Jack said to Buffy.

“I was just thinking about how hard it was to say goodbye to everyone,” Buffy said. “Willow especially as I’m the only real girlfriend she has—the only one she’s ever had. She’d grown up with Jesse and Xander as her best friends. I’ve never even known people like her and Xander—willing to risk their lives for something that really isn’t their concern. They have no powers or special abilities. Willow just this year started learning magic. Last year, she knew nothing and was still willing to do what she could to help me. They’re so amazing. Even Cordelia who doesn’t really like any of us but Xander helps out because she can—just because it’s the right thing to do.”

“You know, you’re describing every American soldier,” Jack said. “Every firefighter who runs into a burning building or police officer who confronts an armed gunman. This world is full of good people—people willing to sacrifice everything for the good of others.”

Giles was listening to their conversation and smiled. This uncle was a good man, and he would help Buffy in ways that Giles couldn’t.

*****SGC*****

General Hammond had viewed Daniel’s videos several times—so had the Joint Chiefs. Eventually, he discovered that certain individuals in the government were very much aware of the supernatural threats that existed on Earth. The NID had even been making plans to have a group of young soldiers infiltrate the college campus to study the threats on the hellmouth. Hammond wasn’t sure how he felt about that, but he would file it for later.

Now, he had to figure out how he could help this niece of O’Neill’s, who had extraordinary gifts. First, he would speak with her Watcher.

He went into the conference room where Rupert Giles was currently at. His first officer was there with her niece.

“Being so far underground is giving me the wiggins,” Buffy was complaining to her uncle. “When you said you were a part of a classified group, you didn’t say you were hiding your secrets miles inside the earth!”

“Unfortunately, Miss Summers,” General Hammond said as he made his presence known, “it is necessary.”

Jack stood and saluted. Then he introduced Buffy and Rupert to Hammond.

“Did you sign the documents?” Hammond asked.

“Reluctantly,” Giles said. “Only because we know and trust Jack.”

“Well, the secrecy is very necessary,” Jack said.

Then it was his turn to share a really incredible story.

The reaction of Buffy and Rupert, though, was a surprise. Neither looked impressed. Instead, Rupert looked disgusted while Buffy looked pissed. Giles had already had a slight suspicion of possible aliens when he heard about Jack’s job, but to have his suspicions confirmed rattled him.

“You guys are unfreakin’ believable!” Buffy said, standing to her feet. “Like there’s not enough threats to this planet, you had to go mucking things up in outer space!”

“Buffy, that’s not very nice,” Jack said, frowning at in disapproval.

“What she is trying to say is that it’s discouraging to discover that the military was foolish enough to mess with something they didn’t understand and had no business messing with to begin with,” Rupert said.

“How can you say that? We now know that we’re not alone in the universe,” Jack said. “We’ve managed to acquire technology that will make the world a better place.”

“Have you? Or have you just found new weapons to which engage the new enemy Earth has acquired?” Rupert asked. “As for not knowing we’re not alone, many of us have known that for quite some time. The Watcher’s Council has had records of beings that weren’t demonic in ancestry. This gate you discovered was buried on purpose by Watchers generation ago as it was deemed a global threat.”

“What?” Jack asked in surprise.

“Yes, sir, many have known about your gate,” Rupert said.

Jack exchanged a look with Hammond. “Well, what’s done is done,” Hammond said.

“You’ve now garnered enemies that have the ability to wipe out the Earth, and you have all these resources to safeguard this threat, I’m assuming,” Rupert said.

Jack and Hammond nodded. “We have teams and allies that protect Earth,” Jack said.

“Alien allies?” Buffy wondered as she sat back down.

“Yes,” Jack said.

“So I can leave the safeguard of this planet in your hands without worry?” Buffy asked. She most definitely didn’t want to worry about aliens on top of demons.

“We do good work,” Jack said.

“I was hoping that Dr. Giles would be willing to work as a liaison with his Council,” Hammond said. “I have discovered that the NID is aware of Sunnydale and has plans on operating there within two years.”

“Seriously?” Buffy said. “Civilians don’t know how to handle the supernatural.”

“They’re not civilians,” Jack said. “They’re military.”

“They’re civilians,” Buffy said flatly. “They have no idea the dangers. They will want to harness demon power or something else equally ridiculous. Demons can’t be harnessed or contained. There’s some that are harmless—it’d be like killing deer. I know the difference, and if I don’t, Giles finds out. Will your military guys know that? Will they know that some demons have paralyzing snot? That some demons’ hearts are in their backside?”

“That’s why we want your Watcher to work with us,” Hammond said. “We hope to have him work oversight and train the men by educating them.” This was Hammond’s plan to get his own hand on whatever the NID was concocting.

“You’d have me stay here in Colorado?” Giles asked.

“We’d pay you a consulting fee, so you can easily keep up your place in Sunnydale. We’ll provide quarters here on the base or an apartment where Dr. Jackson lives if you don’t fancy living underground,” Hammond said.

Giles was intrigued. The military would muck things up horrendously if left to their own devices. “I will have to speak to my superiors,” Giles said. 

“You can’t reveal SGC to them,” Hammond cautioned.

Giles nodded. “I won’t need to,” he said. “Buffy’s connection to Jack will explain why you’d approach me.”

“So I wanna see this star gate of yours,” Buffy said. Although she was still a bit upset that the Earth now had alien enemies, she decided to trust that her uncle and his military could handle it. She had enough in her life to worry about.

Jack grinned and stood. “Come on. I’ll give you guys the tour,” he said. He was relieved that Buffy knew what he did, and she wouldn’t have to keep secrets from her Watcher, which he knew wouldn’t be easy for her.

Buffy was dutifully impressed by the gate. “Willow and Xander would die if they could see this,” she commented.

“You know you can’t tell them about this, Buffy,” Jack said.

Buffy nodded. “I know. It doesn’t seem fair, though. You know all their secrets,” Buffy said.

“It’s a national security thing, sweetheart. I can monitor you, but I have no control over what they do or say,” Jack said. 

“Do you think I can go with you and visit another planet? I’d be the first slayer in space!” Buffy said with a grin.

“Oh dear,” Giles said. “You don’t plan on using Buffy in your endeavors?”

Jack shook his head. “No, we don’t use teenagers,” Jack said. “If she wants to enlist after college and be an officer—sure. If she gets bored by the lack of demonic activity around here, she can train with Teal’c and some Marines.”

Buffy’s eyes lit up. “That would be fun!” she exclaimed.

“Having someone besides myself spar with her would be a good thing,” Giles admitted.

Buffy smirked. “Yes, I bet you’d like that,” she said teasingly.

“We need to take you shopping for things for your room,” Jack said as they walked away from the Stargate room.

“I will make calls while you do that,” Giles said, having no desire to go shopping with his tireless slayer. 

Buffy clapped her hands. “I love shopping!” she exclaimed.

“Dr. Frasier has a daughter that’s a few years younger than you. In fact, I think that she is a freshman at the high school you’ll be attending,” Jack said. “We can see if she and Dr. Frasier want to come over for dinner, and you can meet her.”

“Cool,” Buffy said.

Giles was glad things were starting to look up for his slayer, but he wasn’t sure how he felt about being so far away from Jenny.

*****A Few Days Later*****

Jack was very happy. Rupert had gone back to Sunnydale to make arrangements to be in Colorado for at least a few months. Once things were established, he could easily work via phones and internet with the group. Rupert had agreed to stay with Buffy at her home when Jack wasn’t able to be in Sunnydale over the summer as Buffy really wanted to return when school was over for the year. Both Buffy and Rupert had assured him that the summers were a snoozefest as far as the supernatural element.

Just having her in his home, though, brought him a level of contentment that he hadn’t experienced since Charlie was alive. Jack hadn’t realized how lonely it was at his house, probably because he spent so much time with his team. Even when he was off, he often had them over or went fishing with Teal’c. Not that Teal’c liked fishing, but he was there with Jack.

Buffy, though, was always full of energy. Shopping with her, however, had been an eye-opener. Next time, he would order some of his Marines to go with her as his knees were still aching after that particular marathon. But now, she was happy and settled. They spoke of Joyce often, and Jack shared some pictures he had of them growing up that Buffy had never seen. 

He liked that Buffy wasn’t afraid to cry with him.

She had gone to her first day of her new school, and he was anxiously waiting to find out how it went. Sadly, he was stuck at SGC working on his backlog of reports. Dr. Frasier was picking up both girls and was bringing Buffy to him. They had agreed that at least twice a week Buffy would come to the base and work out with Teal’c or one of his Marines.

His office phone rang, and he was told that she was coming down now. Daniel came into the office just as he stood up. “Is Buffy here yet?” Daniel asked. His entire team had embraced Buffy. Although she got along well with Sam and Teal’c, Jack could tell that she was the most comfortable around Daniel.

“He’s a mini-Giles,” Buffy had said more than once. However, she’d noticed that he blushed in an adorable manner that her Watcher would never do, so she enjoyed trying to get him to blush whenever she could.

“I was about to head to the elevator as she’s coming down now,” Jack said. They both went out of his office and ran into Sam.

“Is she here yet?” Sam asked.

“We’re about to greet her,” Jack said, smiling at her.

The trio was there to greet Buffy as the elevator doors opened.

“Wow! The gang’s all here,” Buffy said, grinning at them.

“I guess no one’s working today,” Dr. Frasier said, smirking.

“Hey, we’re just taking a Buffy break,” Jack said, pulling her in for a hug. “How did it go? We want to hear all about it.”

“Where’s Teal’c?” Buffy asked.

“He’s here somewhere,” Jack said. “So?”

Buffy smiled. “It was fine, Uncle Jack. Cassie made sure I knew where my classes were,” she said. “I didn’t embarrass myself once. There were several military kids in the school, and they all somehow knew who my uncle was. Why didn’t you tell me you were so famous?”

Jack grinned. “I wouldn’t call it famous—just well-known in some circles,” Jack said.

“Well, I felt very welcomed,” Buffy said. Surprisingly, students went out of their way to be nice to her. She hoped that she wouldn’t be labeled a freak since the area was low on the demonic. People’s desire to get in good with her uncle might protect in ways it hadn’t in Sunnydale.

“That’s great,” Samantha said. “How was your science class? Mrs. Terrill is a fine instructor.”

“It was good. No preying mantis lady posing as a science teacher looking for virgin boys to eat,” Buffy said.

All four of them looked at her in various degrees of shock and horror.

“That was a joke?” Dr. Frasier asked.

Buffy’s eyes widened as she realized that Dr. Frasier wasn’t in the know, and she’d just blurted how something really disturbing. “Of course,” she said quickly.

Dr. Frasier smiled and shook her head. “You have an odd sense of humor, but Cassie will love that about you,” she said. “I have to go. I’ll see you later.”

“Thanks, Dr. Frasier,” Buffy said, smiling at the doctor, who’d been so welcoming to her.

As soon as Dr. Frasier walked away, her uncle said, “You weren’t joking, were you?”

“Not even a little,” Buffy said.

“You have to tell us everything,” Daniel insisted.

“Only if you promise to tease Xander mercilessly when you see him again,” Buffy said with a smirk.

Jack winced as he realized what she was implying. “That’s just not right,” he said.

“What? What does Xander have to do with this?” Daniel asked.

“Was he the virgin nearly eaten?” Samantha correctly deduced.

“Only one of the many times he has attracted the demonic,” Buffy said. “There was a mummy girl, too.”

Daniel’s eyes lit up. “Mummy? Seriously?” he asked.

“What can I say? Demonic woman like them some Xander,” Buffy said, snickering.

Jack laughed. Only his niece could make things that would give grown men nightmares into something to joke about.

After finding Teal’c and regaling the four of them with a few of her favorite Xander tales, Buffy’s stomach growled.

“Okay, I need food,” she said.

“We’ll go to the mess hall,” Jack said, standing. “Then you can get your work out in. I promised Rupert to make you train at least two or three times a week.”

“Hey, did you know that the school has a fencing team?” Buffy asked. “Do you think it’d be cheating if I joined?”

“Can you restrain yourself?” Jack asked.

Buffy nodded. “Sure,” she said.

“If you can keep from showing off too much, I don’t see why not,” he said.

“Giles always thinks it’s cheating since I’m so supernaturally gifted,” Buffy said.

“Some athletes achieve greatness by training and working their tails off,” he replied. “Some, though, work half as less and are just gifted with greatness. Who’s to say you’re just not one of those? Besides, whenever a truly great athlete is on the field, it elevates everyone. Think about what Jordan did for Scotty,” Jack said.

“Huh?” Buffy said, not getting the reference.

“You don’t know who Michael Jordan is?” Jack asked in dismay.

“The basketball player, right? He’s on that commercial for McDonalds,” Buffy said.

Jack gave a loud sigh, looking dejected. “My poor, ignorant niece. I’m going to have to really begin your education,” he said.

“Hey, I’m taking Latin. What more do I need?” Buffy said, pouting.

“Latin? Really?” Daniel asked in surprise.

“I was sucking my way through French back home, but they said their French class was full,” Buffy said. “I’m not good at the actual speaking part, so I figured a dead language would be easier. Giles says I’m always butchering English anyway. He is always making us read Latin stuff or Sumerian, but they didn’t have Sumerian.”

“You know Sumerian?” Daniel asked, his mouth open slightly.

“Not particularly. I can recognize some words,” Buffy said. “Giles is always with the books, but normally Willow and Xander get stuck with the books. I just sometimes get stuck when there’s nothing for me to slay.”

“That’s impressive, Buffy,” Daniel said. “I could go into a hundred rooms anywhere in the world and not find a single person that could even recognize a Sumerian symbol.”

Samantha suspected that Buffy was much smarter than even she realized. “Buffy, have you ever had your IQ tested?” she asked.

“No,” Buffy said. “Well, we did that aptitude test for career day.”

“Maybe some time you’d let me give you one?” Samantha asked. “I think you’re a kinesthetic learner, and a test designed toward that might reveal a lot about you.”

Buffy narrowed her eyes suspiciously. “Don’t go thinking I’m going to become a pod person soldier girl,” she said. “Fatigues are so unattractive.”

Samantha grinned. “You haven’t seen me in my dress uniform. It’s quite appealing,” Samantha told her, throwing her arm around her shoulder and leading her down the hall while Buffy told her how she’d redesign the uniform.

Jack blinked at the picture of the two of them. Buffy was becoming very comfortable with Sam.

“Do you think Buffy Summers would be willing to spar with me?” Teal’c asked.

“I’m sure she would,” Jack said.

Buffy was thrilled to spar with Teal’c. Jack made sure that he closed the gym door because they didn’t want everyone on base to know exactly how gifted Buffy was.

“Do you want to fight with staffs?” Teal’c asked.

“I’ve never done that before but sure,” Buffy said with a shrug.

“What do you normally fight with?” he asked as he walked to get them.

“Oh, you know—Mr. Pointy, my favorite stake and sometimes a sword,” she said.

“A staff is a good way to test your reflexes and hone your skills without much injury,” Teal’c said.

“So do you have certain powers?” Buffy asked, not wanting to hurt the big guy.

“I do not have powers, but I am highly trained. My symbiote allows me to recover quickly from any injury, so do not worry that you will harm me much,” Teal’c said.

Buffy looked over at her uncle, who nodded. “Teal’c is the best fighter on base,” Jack assured her.

They all glanced at the entry to the gym as it opened. General Hammond entered with Samantha, who had gone to tell him about the upcoming sparring match.

“Great. More spectators,” Buffy grumbled. If she hurt the general’s alien, would her uncle get in trouble?

“Don’t worry, Buffy. Teal’c will be fine,” Jack said, sensing her nervousness.

Teal’c handed her a staff, and she swung it a bit to test it. “Cool,” she said, liking the strong wood. Of course, her mind was calculating how many vamps she could kill with such wood on hand.

Teal’c bowed slightly to her, and she gave him back a little bow. 

Then he swung his staff, so she rose hers up to meet his. Then it was on.

Buffy grinned, enjoying the sound of the staff hitting Teal’c’s. She sped up a bit, and he sped up to match her. After a few minutes, though, she grew bored and kicked out at him.

Her move caught Teal’c by surprise, but he easily adapted by moving back and regaining his footing. 

“There is no need to hold back,” he told her.

“I don’t want to hurt you,” she admitted.

“Pain is how one learns,” Teal’c said. “I always wish to learn.”

“Okay,” Buffy said with a shrug. Then she proceeded to take him at his word.

General Hammond watched the sparring match with awe. The girl was so slight and frail looking compared to any soldier. Compared to Teal’c, it was like David and Goliath. 

Buffy pressed Teal’c like no one he’d ever seen. Soon, she’d disarmed him. Then they went at it hand-to-hand. Teal’c grinned, having a great time. It was rare that anyone could offer him much of a challenge. The Colonel’s niece was an excellent fighter. The fact that she kept switching forms was what kept him from pressing his advantage.

Finally, he decided that he had learned all her various combinations, and he moved in and swept her legs. However, she bounced back up so quickly and kicked him in the head, causing him to stumble back.

“Oh, sorry,” Buffy said, flashing him an apologetic look. “Are you okay?”

Her audience clapped. “That was great, Buffy!” Jack said, beaming with pride.

“That was a fine display of fighting skill,” Hammond said.

Teal’c bowed. “You are quite gifted, Buffy Summers,” he said.

“You are, too!” Buffy exclaimed. “That was awesome!”

“Indeed,” Teal’c said, smiling at her.

“Your niece is very impressive, Colonel,” Hammond said.

“I know,” Jack said, beaming with pride. “Just imagine what she can teach these soldiers.”

“How will we explain her strength?” Hammond wondered.

“Could we not simply say she’s a Houk’tar?” Daniel said. “We’ve been told they exist—a naturally born solider with enhanced fighting skills. Buffy can work on restraining the strength.”

“How about she spend some time working with Teal’c and learning to do that first?” Hammond suggested.

Buffy shrugged. “Fine with me. I’ve not fought anyone nearly as skilled since Angel.” The mention of her late boyfriend caused the smile to leave her face. Suddenly, she felt tired. “Uncle Jack, do you think we can head home? I’d like to shower. I have some homework to do also.”

“Sure,” Jack said, looking at his CO, who nodded.

He knew that references to Angel still caused her pain. However, he was very much glad that they managed to get rid of Sunnydale’s biggest threat.

*****Sunnydale, a month later*****

Drusilla was smiling as she watched the slayer fight a fairly large demon. 

“Are we gonna kill her already, love?” Spike asked.

“In time, my love,” Drusilla said. “There’s such fun to be had before she dies. Ghosts and fish monsters—then the end of it all.”

Spike assumed she meant ending the new slayer. Life was decidedly boring with the new slayer. She was all business and not at all fun. Spike had taken her on once, but her wooden approach to slaying took all the fun out of it. She didn’t have Buffy’s fire or passion.

“That slayer is a tragedy waiting to be killed,” Spike. “Hopefully, the next one will be more fun.”

“You miss Angel-daddy’s love?” Drusilla asked him.

“I wouldn’t say miss,” Spike said. “It’s just this one is so boring.”

“No worries, love. Soon, we’ll be having lots of fun with her,” Drusilla said. “Then the blonde one will return.”

Spike’s eyes lit up. “If we kill this one, Buffy will come back to fight with us?” he said. “Then what are we waiting for?”

“It’s not time. The slayer’s heart is broken, but it will heal. Then she will come back and play with us,” Drusilla assured him.

“What about the big guy who killed Angelus? We need to make him pay,” Spike said.

Drusilla frowned, not liking what she saw about her father’s killer. “He is not for us to kill,” she said firmly.

Spike looked disappointed. “Are you sure?” he asked.

Drusilla nodded. “He will bring soldiers to hunt us if we harm him,” she said. “No time for fun then.”

Spike nodded in understanding. He loved when Dru had these periods of lucidity. For a few weeks after Angelus had been killed, Spike didn’t know if she would ever regain her equilibrium.

Now, though, his dark queen was back, and there were fun times ahead.

Too bad the dark-skinned slayer wouldn’t survive long enough to see much.

*****Chapter End*****

It means a lot if you take time to review. Thanks for reading!


	5. Daniel Resigns

**In this chapter, I’m making references to SG-1 episode 10 in season 3** **“Forever in a Day.”**

Chapter 5: Daniel Resigns

_******SGC******_

Things settled into a comfortable rhythm with Jack and Buffy. Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, Buffy joined him at the SGC after school for two hours. She always spent ten or fifteen-minutes speaking to Jack’s team about her day at school. Then one of his team members would occupy the rest of her time. A full hour was always reserved for Teal’c, but another hour was spent with either Sam or Daniel helping her with homework or giving her more challenging work without her realizing it. 

After she had developed her routine, Giles had returned and began working at the SGC. He opted to stay on the base, so that he could get more work done. It was his hope that his could be free to be back home in Sunnydale by June or July. Jenny had spring break in a few weeks, and she had committed to joining him there. Of course, she didn’t have clearance yet to be on base. However, Samantha was very intrigued about learning how magic might work with technology and was working on getting her clearance. Giles was happy because he wanted Jenny to share every part of his life. Currently, they planned on him taking a few days and joining her at her hotel when she came to town.

Sam spoke with Giles about her suspicions concerning Buffy’s intelligence, and he agreed that her ability to think so quickly on her feet was a clear sign of her intelligence, not just her skills as a fighter. He spoke about Kendra, the new slayer, who was highly educated from her early years with a Watcher. However, Kendra did not possess Buffy’s creativity or ability to adapt.

Giles had been very supportive when Samantha tested Buffy in various ways over a course of a week during her three days at the mountain. 

Jack was in his office speaking with Daniel about an upcoming mission when she joined them. Jack was going to have to leave Buffy for a few days and was not happy about it. Although Rupert would stay at his place in his absence, he still didn’t want to leave her.

“She’ll be fine,” Daniel said.

“I know,” Jack said almost sullenly. “I just don’t want her to have to worry. You know how easily a mission of ours can go sideways.”

“Sir, do you have a minute?” Samantha asked, interrupting them.

“Sure,” Jack said. “We were just discussing our upcoming mission.”

“I just thought I’d share with you my conclusions about Buffy,” Samantha said. “I gave her a series of test.”

Jack’s face perked up with interest. “Shoot,” he said.

“Her grades the past two years at Sunnydale haven’t been that great. Mostly C’s with an occasional B or D,” Samantha said. “But her IQ registered at a 140.”

Jack grinned. “Really? She clearly gets that from my side of the family!”

“Her verbal-linguistic score was in the 90% for her age group. However, it was her Bodily-Kinesthetic that was off the charts,” Samantha said. “In fact, I’ve never seen anyone test as high as she did.”

“Well, she is a slayer,” Daniel said.

“Actually, before she was called, she was into ice-skating and cheerleading,” Jack said. He looked at Buffy’s test results. “That’s my girl!”

“We really need to step up her education, so she can get ready for college,” Samantha said. “With scores like this, she can go Ivy League if she wants!”

“Did you show them to Rupert?” Jack asked, enjoying her enthusiasm.

“No, I’ll go do that now!” Samantha said, clearly excited as she grabbed the test from Jack.

Jack smiled in amusement as she all but bolted from his office.

“I should start working with Buffy on learning Ancient,” Daniel said. “Oh, we should get her tested for the Ancient gene since yours is so strong.”

Jack held up his hand. “Hold it, Buffy’s too young to start worry about joining the SGC, and she has already vocalized her dislike of joining the military,” he reminded her.

“That doesn’t mean she can’t do what I do—consult,” Daniel said, giving him a smug look.

“Fine,” Jack said, knowing he wasn’t wrong. “Expose her to Ancient. What can it hurt?” 

He was just happy that Buffy had easily found a place with his team and seemed to be doing well.

***** _Several Weeks Later*****_

Buffy was chatting on the phone with Willow. She called her every Saturday, or Willow called her. They caught each other up on the week. Sometimes, Willow would be with Oz or Xander, so she’d put it on speaker phone. Kendra was adjusting to working with others—reluctantly. They didn’t patrol with her as much as they had with Buffy, but she did sometimes allow them to trail after her with a crossbow.

“I dusted a demon with my trusty crossbow, and she finally stopped complaining,” Xander had bragged.

Now Buffy was telling Willow about the military ball that her dad was going to take her to. It was a bit earlier than the Junior and Senior Prom in Sunnydale.

“Does your school have a prom?” Willow asked.

“Of course,” Buffy said. “It’s actually two weeks away. I figured I could wear the dress twice, but Sam told me some of the kids who go to school with me might be there.”

“So you get to go shopping twice. That’s not a sacrifice,” Willow said. “You love shopping.”

“I know,” Buffy said. “Uncle Jack is a trooper with the shopping, but he made Sam and Dr. Frasier take me last week when I said I needed new shoes for my fencing. Once was enough, he said. I told him that I thought Colonels were supposed to be tough, and he said his knees couldn’t take the challenge that shopping with me presented.”

Willow laughed. “Dr. Frasier is Cassie’s mom, right?” Willow asked.

“Yes,” Buffy said. “Cassie is a real sweetheart. It’s kind of nice having someone younger around sometimes. She looks up to me and hangs onto my every word!”

“I always wished I had a little sister or even a brother,” Willow said. 

“Do you think it’s weird that all of us are only sibling-less?” Buffy asked. “Think about it. You, Xander, Oz, and even Cordelia. Not even Amy has a sibling. Back in Los Angeles all my friend had siblings.”

“I hadn’t thought about it, but you’re right,” Willow said. “Jesse didn’t have a sibling either. Maybe, there’s something about Sunnydale that makes parents sense the danger subconsciously or something.”

“Well, I’m glad we have each other,” Buffy said. “I’m going shopping with Sam for a dress. I’ll call you tomorrow and tell you all about it. Sam says she can set up a webcam if you have one, so we can see each other.”

“Oh, I totally have one!” Willow said excitedly. “That’ll be great!”

“I’ll see if we can get it set up, so you can see my ball dress,” Buffy said.

They said goodbye, and Buffy felt good. Although she missed her friends, she still kept in touch with them and would see them in June.

_*****The Military Ball*****_

Buffy was feeling particularly fabulous in her fancy blue dress with a skirt that swished when she moved. No clingy, sexy dress for her. She’d wanted to feel like a princess, and she really did. Her uncle had paid for her to get her hair done in a beautiful updo. She had a sparkly silver shawl that matched her shoes and a tiny purse.

Jack normally hated going to anything that required him to put on his full-dress uniform. It took forever to get ready, but Buffy had helped him with the various pins. Her enthusiasm for the ball had made the entire thing less tedious than normal.

Now, he was walking through the doors with Buffy’s hand looped in his arm, and he didn’t at all feel the normal amount of irritation the events usually caused him. Instead, he felt proud and glad to share a moment of fun with his niece. Although they both grieved for Joyce, he found being with her eased his grief. She, on the other hand, kept busy and seemed to experience the pain of Joyce’s loss at night when she was home. That was when she missed her mother the most.

“I’m a lucky guy,” Jack said.

“Why’s that?” Buffy asked, looking up at him.

“Because I have the most beautiful escort here,” he said, grinning at her. 

“I’m not so sure about that,” Buffy said as she caught a look at Samantha. “Check out Sam. She decided to get a dress when we went shopping instead of wearing her dress uniform. Since this isn’t an official event, she said it was okay.”

Jack looked and spotted her coming toward him. For a moment, his heart stopped. God, she was stunning. A red slinky dress with a skirt that had a slit mid-thigh, so he caught a glimpse of her leg with every step.

“Hello, Buffy. You look lovely,” Sam said as she approached. “You, too, sir.”

Jack grinned. “Lovely? I was going for debonair,” he said. “You look beautiful.”

“Thanks,” Samantha said, giving him a warm smile.

Daniel approached and let out a whistle. “Wow. You ladies look amazing,” he said. He kissed both women on the cheek.

“Thank you,” Buffy said. “You clean up nice, too. I love the tux.”

“I go to two of these shindigs a year, so I figured a tux was a good investment,” he said. “Sam, would you like to dance?”

“That means, you have to dance with me,” Buffy said to Jack.

“My pleasure,” he said. He pulled her onto the dance floor, twirling her around, making her laugh.

They danced two fast dances, and then the music changed. Daniel danced next to them. “Can we swap?” he asked, winking at Buffy.

She had spoken to Daniel in depth about her desire to match her uncle with Sam, who she thought was the best female role model ever. Sam was like Willow and Buffy in one person, a brainiac and an ass-kicker.

Jack passed Buffy to Danny and accepted Sam into his arms. They danced a few minutes in silence, and then Jack said again, “You really do look beautiful.”

Sam smiled up at him. “Thanks,” she said. Sam held his gaze a long moment, and then she looked away, unsettled.

 _What was she doing?_ She’d allowed Buffy’s romantic aspirations for the evening to influence her. Although she’d laughingly dismissed Buffy’s comment about knocking her uncle’s socks off with her dress, she’d secretly been hoping to make him really see her.

Now, though, she was in his arms and knew that he did see her. However, instead of making her feel good, it depressed her. His reaction had been all she’d hoped for and being in his arms like this was great. Unfortunately, he was her superior officer, and nothing could come of this. Instead of feeling happy, she just felt a sense of loss over what could never be.

When the song ended, she looked for an excuse to escape his arms. “I could use something to drink,” she said.

“Then let’s get something to drink,” he said, smiling at her. It’d been too long since he’d had a woman in his arms even for briefly. He and Sam never got to spent time together like this, and he couldn’t help but relish every moment.

General Hammond came up to him, a young man with him. “Jack, Dr. Carter,” he said, greeting them with a warm smile. “This is my nephew Devin—my youngest sister’s boy. Devin is a freshman at the University of Colorado in Denver.” 

“Hello, sir, ma’am,” Devin said, shaking their hand.

“You allowed your nephew to go to a state school?” Jack asked.

“Well, he’s an athlete and was offered a full ride for playing baseball,” Hammond said.

“Really? That’s great,” Jack said.

“I’m going to go the ROTC route,” Devin said. “They have Air Force and Army ROTC on campus.”

“He’s going Air Force,” Hammond said, flashing him a proud smile.

“That’s a good choice,” Sam said. “You’ll start on the officer track.”

Daniel and Buffy approached. Hammond smiled at Buffy. “You look very pretty, Buffy,” he said.

“Thanks. I feel like a princess in this dress Sam helped me pick out,” Buffy said.

“Buffy, this is my nephew, Devin. Devin, Buffy is Colonel O’Neill’s niece,” Hammond said.

Buffy eyed the gorgeous teenager with interest. She’d not seen him before, so she knew he didn’t go to her school. He looked like he might be out of high school. He was taller than his uncle and had piercing blue eyes and light brown hair.

“Hello,” Buffy said, smiling.

“Devin, you ought to give Buffy a dance or two,” Hammond said.

Buffy wanted to die of humiliation, and she gave Sam a pleading look.

Jack smiled. “That’s a great idea,” he said, not seeing Buffy’s look. “She should be dancing with someone her own age.”

“It would be my pleasure,” Devin said easily and offered his hand to Buffy, who took it.

“Don’t they make a great couple?” Hammond said. He adored Buffy Summers and had grown very fond of her in the two months she’d been in his life. It would tickle him to death if the two of them hit it off.

“They do,” Jack agreed.

“Sir, I hope I’m not overstepping, but you do realize that you’ve embarrassed Buffy greatly,” Samantha ventured.

“I have?” Hammond asked, frowning. “How?”

“A woman, especially a teenager, wants the guy to ask,” Sam said. “Not have their uncle tell them to ask the girl to dance.”

“I guess you’re right,” Hammond said. “You think Buffy will be mad?”

“Nah,” Jack said. “She gets to dance with a cute boy and complain about my boss. She’ll love it!”

They laughed and continued to watch the two dance together.

Buffy gave Devin an apologetic look. “I’m so sorry about that,” she said as they walked to the dance floor.

Devin put his hand on her shoulder and smiled down at her. “What for? I’m happy to dance with you,” he said. “I was going to ask you anyway. Uncle George has talked about you a few times.”

“Really?” Buffy asked.

Devin nodded. “Yes, he said you were like a savant with hand-to-hand. Had some British teacher that trained you,” Devin shared. “He said he convinced your Brit to consult with the SGC.”

“That he did,” Buffy said. “So what do you do? Work? Still in school?”

Devin began sharing more about himself while they danced around, and Buffy allowed herself to be in the moment—past dances with Angel didn’t intrude to spoil her time.

Jack saw her smile and was glad—his life now felt fuller than it had been in a very long time. Good moments didn’t often last long, but he would enjoy this one for as long as he could.

***** _A Week or So Later*****_

SG-1 returned from P8X-873 much more broken than normal. All Daniel could think about was he finally got to see his wife, but now she was dead.

She was dead, and Teal’c had killed her.

When he saw her in his dreams, she spoke to him. He woke up thinking she was nearby, but she wasn’t. Realizing that she was really gone shattered him, and he had a strong desire to flee the mountain that he had always seen as home.

Jack came into the infirmary as he was leaving. “How are you, Danny?” he asked.

“How do you think I am, Jack?” Daniel asked. “My wife is dead because our friend killed her.”

“Teal’c saved your life,” Jack said. “Amaunet was ten seconds away from ending your life.”

“He didn’t give her enough time. Sha’re would’ve found a way to stop her,” Daniel said. “Teal’c should’ve disarmed her, not killed her.”

“I’m sorry, Daniel. I know how much you loved her,” Jack said.

“I gave up Earth for her, and we were so happy that first year,” Daniel said. He closed his eyes as he pictured his time with her. “I can’t do this, Jack.”

“I know. Take some time. Go home. Grieve,” Jack said.

“No, I mean, I can’t do this. I can’t be here at the SGC anymore,” Daniel said. He walked to his office and got on his computer.

Jack debated on what to do. Should he follow him? Give him time? He decided to grab a coffee and then head to Daniel’s office. Too much time to stew alone was never good when it came to Daniel. 

When he made it to Daniel’s office, he was carrying an extra cup for Daniel. Daniel was picking up a piece of paper off his printer.

“Hey, buddy. Here’s some coffee for you,” Jack said, handing it to him.

“Thanks, Jack,” Daniel said.

“What’s that?” Jack asked.

“It’s my resignation,” Daniel said. “I’m done with the SGC. I want to make a difference, not just watch people I love be destroyed by the Goa’uld.”

“You can’t quit!” Jack said in alarm. “We need you— _I_ need you.”

“I’m sorry,” Daniel said. “My mind is made up. I’m going to see General Hammond now.”

Jack watched him walk out of the office, carrying his letter of resignation.

****** _Chapter End*****_

_I know season 3 of SG-1 seems so long ago, but in the show, Daniel did temporarily resign over his wife’s death. I didn’t change any SG-1 events from the show. I just will be changing what Daniel’s actions after this point._


	6. Old and New Enemies

**This chapter contains some events from “Foothold” episode 14 in season 3 of SG-1.**

Chapter 6: Old and New Enemies

_******In the Space Above******_

Various players were watching with great interest as Daniel Jackson resigned from SG-1. The Fates had tied up his destiny quite nicely and had plans for him—big plans. However, Angelus’ decision to kill Joyce Summers instead of Jenny Calendar had unleashed a change of events that were ricocheting throughout the universe.

The Powers That Be, however, were the most gleeful. When Daniel Jackson decided to take Rupert Giles up on his offer to leave Colorado for a breather and stay at his apartment in Sunnydale, the Powers took a pair of scissors to the ties of Fate.

“He is going to be ours now,” they said to the other Ascended.

Some of the Ancients had become only observers, who watched over life but never interfered. They sought knowledge and knew their place. A few hungered for power and sought worshipers—they went far into the galaxy building up the flame of their powers. Still, others like the Fates and the PTB watched over the humans wherever they flourished. The Fates had claimed Daniel Jackson and howled with rage as he went to the hellmouth.

Now he would be blocked from their influence—he could be lost forever. Not even his dreams could be penetrated there as it was the domain of dark forces. Only the chosen of the Powers That Be could fight the darkness.

Daniel, of course, knew none of this. He simply knew that the final death of his wife had soured his life at SG-1. The hellmouth was being guarded by a slayer who was not the equal of Buffy, and he might be of some use while he decided what to do next. He was going to stay at Rupert’s place while he figured it out.

Willow and Oz walked into the library, which had no librarian and blinked in surprise to see a familiar face behind the counter.

“Daniel?” she asked in surprise.

“Hi, Willow. Oz,” Daniel said. 

“What are you doing here?” Willow asked.

“I’m taking a sabbatical, and Rupert said I could stay in his apartment,” Daniel said. “I figured you guys wouldn’t mind a friendly face at the school again.”

“That’s great!” Willow said. “It’s so weird being here without Giles and Buffy.”

“Are you officially working for the library?” Oz asked as they sat down at the table.

“Well, Rupert told the principal about my credentials, and Mr. Snyder said that I could sub and fill in a few times for the history teacher. I guess he’s retiring next month,” Daniel said.

Willow’s eyes lit up. “You might work here full time? Really? That’s awesome for us,” she said. Then she realized what it meant. “Why would you do that? You have like two doctorates.”

“My wife died. I need some time away from the military, and I want to make a difference,” Daniel said. “I can make a difference here.”

“I’m so sorry!” Willow exclaimed.

“Me, too,” Oz said.

“Thanks,” Daniel said. “What’s been going on?”

“Nothing too crazy,” Willow said. “The Sadie Hawkins dance is coming up in a few weeks, and I’m going to ask Oz to go with me.” She gave her boyfriend a shy smile.

“You are?” Oz said, looking pleased.

“Yep,” Willow said. “So be ready for it.”

“I’m looking forward to it,” Oz said, giving her hand a squeeze.

Daniel felt good being around the kids and knew taking a step back from the SGC was the right thing for him.

He couldn’t know that his decisions had severe repercussions for his future. Sha’re could not get through to Daniel as long he was on the hellmouth, and the hands of fate begin to change his intended path.

***** _Colorado*****_

Buffy tossed and turned as she begun having dreams about a woman she didn’t know. Unlike most slayer dreams, this was very clear.

_“Find my son. He is a Harcesis and will be killed if you don’t save him. He is on Kheb.”_

The woman repeated the message a few times, and when Buffy woke up, she recalled every word. She wrote it down and said nothing to anyone. However, when she had the exact same dream the next night, she knew she had to act.

After school, she found her uncle and Teal’c. She had already stopped by Giles and told him, so her watcher was with her. “Hey, Teal’c, what’s a Harcesis?”

Both men looked at Buffy in surprise. “Where did you hear that word?” Jack asked.

“In a dream,” Buffy said. She looked back at Teal’c. “What does it mean?”

“It is when two Goa’uld have a child together,” he replied.

“What happens if two of those snake things have a baby together in a human form?” Buffy asked. That must be what had the woman so freaked. It must be so icky that she worries about the super demon snake they’d create.

“If two hosts were to mate and have a child, that child would contain all the knowledge of the Goa’uld,” Teal replied. “It is strictly forbidden. Punishable by death.”

“Really? Why?” Buffy asked.

“I get it. They’d have the genetic memory of all the Goa’ulds’ secrets in their DNA,” Jack said. “They’d not need a Goa’uld implant to know things they shouldn’t know.”

“Exactly,” Teal’c said. “They are hunted down and destroyed by the Goa’uld with impunity.”

“How fascinating,” Giles said. Although he missed all his books back home, he was finding SGC much more interesting that he first supposed.

Buffy frowned. “Well, we need to go to some planet called Kheb because one of them is there,” she said. “The woman said that she was his mother, and he would die if I didn’t save him.”

Jack’s eyes widened as he realized what Buffy was getting at. “Daniel’s wife came to you in a slayer’s dream?” he asked.

“That was Daniel’s wife?” Buffy asked, surprised. She described the woman to Jack, who nodded.

“That’s her,” he said. “We need to call Daniel and let him know.”

Giles spoke. “Do you think that’s a good idea? He is grieving for her death. What if the child is killed before you can save him? What if the child is lost forever? How will he feel? Won’t he feel once again that he failed his wife?” Giles pointed out.

Jack frowned and exchanged a look with Teal’c.

“That might be true, but he’d be pissed if I didn’t tell him,” Jack said.

“Not if you find the boy safe and can present him to Daniel,” Buffy pointed out.

“Well, I’ve never heard of a planet called Kheb,” Jack said. He looked at Teal’c. “Have you?”

Teal’c shook his head. “I have not,” he said.

“I’ll get command on looking for it,” Jack said. “I’ll see you in an hour.”

Buffy was glad she’d delivered the message, and the dreams stopped.

Although they spent days looking for the planet Buffy mentioned, they had no luck finding it, so it got put on a back burner as Jack had a mission coming up. However, he didn’t feel right about going without Daniel and asked if they could skip their turn on rotation.

“You have to find a replacement for Dr. Jackson,” Hammond told him after agreeing to his request.

“He recommended his assistant, but I was thinking about Dr. Giles,” Jack said.

“He’s got enough commitments right now,” Hammond said.

“I know, but he knows nearly as many languages as Daniel, and he is a trained fighter—he fights demons and vampires for crying out loud!” Jack said.

“Yes, I am aware, Colonel O’Neill,” Hammond said. “He’s been working with our special teams. Have you considered asking if he knows a Watcher that might fit the bill? One who knows languages and can handle themselves in a fight?”

Jack’s eyes brightened. “That’s a good idea,” he said. “Can I use him for a mission or two until we find someone permanent?”

Hammond sighed. He, too, was hopeful that Dr. Jackson would come back. It might be better to replace Daniel with someone they knew wouldn’t be long-term. “Fine,” he said. “You can ask him.”

“He will say yes because he’d never pass up an opportunity to travel to another planet!” Jack said confidently.

Saluting his boss, he turned to go find Rupert.

Giles was finding his new work with the military challenging but interesting. Dr. Jackson had given him several mission reports to read, so he could become familiar with the things the soldiers were used to facing. Most of the missions were things his hand-selected team was familiar with. He was using their background to train them for things they might come across when they came to Sunnydale. Ironically, fighting aliens _did_ make them more suitable for fighting the supernatural.

He had a group of twenty men and three women that he was training. They, in turn, would train others. The military said that the NID would try to bring in civilian consultants with degrees in psychology as they felt demons could be conditioned to not attack. Although he had told them quite vehemently it was a horrible idea, the military gave the plan to try and condition demons a greenlight. However, they would do that to their own peril.

Hammond was a wily leader and felt that if Giles won the soldiers’ complete loyalty, it would keep the NID from gaining a true foothold when they moved to Sunnydale. At first, Giles was entirely against the idea as few militaries in the history of the Watchers Council had ever done very well when fighting the supernatural. Then he decided that a military presence that he personally could vouch for would only be an asset in dangerous situations.

Giles looked up when Jack entered his office. “Hello, Colonel. How can I help?” Giles asked. He had started referring to Jack by his title while on the base since Jack was such an important figure at SGC. There had already been several stories told about SG-1, and their exploits after only two and a half years were already legendary.

“I was wondering if you were bored yet with the training?” Jack asked with an eager grin.

“No,” Giles replied. “Why?”

“Well, Daniel is gone, and they want to replace him,” Jack said. “But I don’t think Danny will stay away long term, and I wanted to see if you’d join SG-1 for some missions. It’ll just be another notch on your belt with your Marines.”

Giles considered it. It would be an incredible, once-in-a-lifetime experience. “How can I say no?” he asked.

Jack looked smug. “That’s exactly what I told General Hammond,” he said. He held out his hand to Giles. “Welcome to the team!”

Giles smiled and shook his hand. “I’m glad that I joined Buffy a few weeks ago in her lessons with Daniel to learn Ancient,” he said.

“Yep! It’s like it was meant to be,” Jack said smugly. “Once Danny gets tired of the hellmouth, you guys can do your Freaky Friday change back!”

Giles nodded. “I suppose you are right,” he said. He wondered if Travers would be happy to have another Watcher embroiled into the military or would he be pissed at Giles for taking another resource from their ranks?

***** _A Week Later******_

Giles wasn’t sure what to think when he met Dr. Carter’s father, who had a Tok’ra inside him. Unfortunately, Buffy’s first instinct had been to attack as she happened to be with Sam and her uncle when they arrived, so they both had accompanied the Colonel to greet General Carter. Buffy hadn’t yet been told much about the Tok’ra and had simply sensed an enemy.

She quickly put down about five Marines, who had been at the gate before Jack got her to calm down.

“Buffy! It’s the Tok’ra. He’s an ally!” Jack yelled, grabbing her forearms and giving her a shake.

Buffy’s mind cleared. It’d been too long since she’d slayed anything, and the slayer inside her went nuts when she sensed the symbiote in Sam’s father. “Oh,” she said. She glanced at the old man, who was giving her a disapproving smile. “I’m sorry.” Everyone was looking at her like she was a freak, so she took off and ran to Giles’ quarters.

“Giles!” she said as she burst through his door.

Giles looked up from his desk and frowned. “Buffy, you do know how to knock,” he said.

“God, Giles. I’m sorry!” she said, throwing herself on his bed. “I just went all slayer on some marines ‘cause Sam’s dad came, and I sensed his symbiote. I forgot all about what Daniel said about the Tok’ra being good snakes. It just felt icky, so I attacked.”

“Dear Lord,” he exclaimed. “Was anyone hurt?”

“I don’t know,” she said, looking down in shame. “I ran away.”

“Buffy, are you all right?” Giles asked in concern. “This isn’t like you.”

“Well, it’s been too long since I got to slay anything, Giles, and when General Carter came through the gate, my senses went into overdrive,” she said.

“That’s understandable,” he said. “You’re a predator, and you’ve been denied your prey. I’m surprised you’ve lasted so long before something like this happened.”

“It was super embarrassing, Giles,” Buffy said. “Uncle Jack is probably super pissed, and General Hammond might not want me around anymore since I made it super obvious exactly how skilled I am.”

Giles winced. “Well, the soldiers here are used to dealing with the weird,” he said. “I will speak to them if I need to.”

“Excuse me,” a voice said from the doorway. Buffy hadn’t shut it. They looked up and saw Jack.

“Do come in, Colonel,” Giles said, standing. “Buffy was just telling me about what happened.”

“Are you okay?” he asked his niece.

“Are you mad?” Buffy asked. “I’m sure you’re mad. I’m super mortified.”

Jack sat next to her on the bed and put his arm around her shoulder. “There’s no need to be, honey,” he said. “It’s okay. No one was seriously hurt, and I think it’s good to keep the Tok’ra on their toes.”

“But that’s Sam’s daddy, and your good friend,” she said. “I just couldn’t control the evil I sensed. The slayer just wanted to kill.”

“Hmm. That gives credence that the Tok’ra aren’t entirely different from their evil counterparts,” he said. “But I can vouch for Selmak, Jacob’s symbiote.”

“I was just telling Buffy that as a predator, she needs to hunt real prey from time to time or this kind of thing could happen,” Giles said.

“I thought you said Colorado Springs didn’t have any vampires?” Jack said.

“No, not the city proper,” Giles said. “However, you do have some suburbs that I’ve read some reports on. Evergreen, Central City, and Manitou Spring. The criminal activity is higher, and one of the soldiers on my team he’s heard of some dark arts being practiced in Manitou.”

Buffy’s eyes lit up. “Seriously? We can go patrol?” she asked.

“I was thinking after you return from spring break,” Giles said. “You will be leaving next week for home, and Jenny will be traveling here to see me.”

“Oh, yea, I’d nearly forgotten,” she said, perking up at the reminder. “I can slay vamps back home and take the edge off.”

“I find this conversation more than mildly disturbing,” Jack said.

“Sorry, Uncle Jack,” Buffy said. She kissed his cheek. “I’ll go apologize to your friend and Sam.”

“I’ll be right behind you,” Jack said.

After she left, Giles asked, “So what exactly happened?”

“She put down several of my best marines in less than thirty seconds,” Jack said. “I know what she is capable of, and I was still surprised when I shouldn’t have been.”

“She always fights best when she senses a real threat,” Giles said. “She has the potential to be the best slayer in history.”

“I don’t care about that,” Jack said. “I just want her to be happy and alive.”

“As do I,” Giles said. “Between the two of us, we will assure she stays that way.”

“I’m worried about her going home for spring break,” he said.

“You can always go with her,” Giles said.

“I know, but I want to save my time for when things get bad in Sunnydale, and she really needs me there,” he said.

“That’s a good idea,” Giles said. 

“Are you coming to meet Jacob?” Jack asked, standing.

“I’ll be there in a bit,” Giles said. “I believe the council will send another watcher to work with your team if Dr. Jackson doesn’t return. I was surprised to hear from them so soon as I just sent out my request a few days ago.”

“Should I be worried?” Jack asked.

“I believe the council is intrigued at having a relationship with the U.S. military, and they see this venture as a way to cement our relationship with your government,” he said.

“Well, it can’t hurt,” Jack said. “Keep me posted. I’ll see you later.”

Giles’ life had taken such an unexpected turn. He had been to other worlds and was on a first name basis with an alien. Before the day was over, he would know another. It was too bad that he was unable to record these exciting experiences in his Watcher journals.

***** _Two Weeks Later*****_

Buffy was feeling good about the world in general. Last week had been spring break, and she had flown home to California and had seen her friends. Happily, she had gotten to kill several vampires and two demons while she was there, and one fight with Spike, who seemed way too happy to see her. Buffy still laughed when she recalled the scene.

_Flashback_

_Buffy was patrolling with Willow and Xander—it was just like old times. She’d gotten into town two days ago. Jenny Calendar had flown to Colorado to be with Giles, which the trio had agreed gave them the wiggins to think about. Kendra and her watcher were living in her home, which was weird. However, her room remained untouched. She and Kendra did some training—Kendra had been surprised that Buffy was still in top form even though she’d not been slaying._

_“I told you my dad has a friend on his team that is a giant of a man, and he’s a good fighter,” she told Kendra. “I train with him about three days a week.”_

_Kendra didn’t come out with them tonight, and they were enjoying being together again. They had mutually agreed to leave behind their boyfriend and girlfriend._

_Buffy went through a graveyard and staked a newly risen vampire. Xander and Willow clapped._

_“The Buffster is back!” Xander exclaimed._

_Buffy rolled her eyes but was smiling. Then someone popped out from behind a crypt._

_“It’s Spike!” Willow exclaimed unnecessarily._

_Buffy grinned. “And it’s not even my birthday,” she said, getting into a fighting stance._

_“Slayer! You’re back?” Spike asked, actually smiling at her._

_“Unless you’ve been dreaming about me, clearly I’m in town,” Buffy said dryly._

_“Are you here to stay? The robot slayer who’s been here is no fun at all,” he complained. Then he lunged forward, trying to hit Buffy, who ducked and kicked him hard in the leg._

_“Well, I’m here for Spring Break only—sorry to disappoint my biggest fan,” Buffy said with a smirk. She could hear Willow giggle behind her._

_“I’m not a fan—that would imply I like you,” Spike said glaring._

_“You just like getting slapped around,” Buffy said as she hit him hard in the face._

_End of Flashback_

Buffy had fought Spike for several minutes before he gave her a cheery wave and ran off—the coward.

She didn’t see him again but tried to warn Kendra about him. However, Kendra was very confident that she could handle the master vampire and his female counterpart. Buffy hoped she was right.

When Buffy went to the first checkpoint of SGC, the familiar soldiers greeted her.

“Hello, Miss Summers,” one said.

“Hi,” Buffy said. However, she sensed danger and looked around slowly. There was no noticeable threat, but she still felt something was very wrong.

When she made it to the second check point, her senses were screaming at her, and she looked closely at the two soldiers. Then she saw four more and frowned.

“What’s with the extra security?” she asked.

“There’s a chemical spill on level 23,” the guard told her.

Buffy nodded and tried to ignore her instincts, which were screaming at her and telling her the soldier was an enemy. When she chatted with the solider, he seemed to know who she was. _Why was she sensing evil? What was going on?_

As she got into the elevator and pushed her floor, it occurred to her that it was possible the Goa’uld had infiltrated. She’d been told about how they could appear completely normal, but the human had the snake inside. What was she going to do? She had to go see Giles—he would know what to do.

However, when she got to Giles’ office, Teal’c was there. “Hey, guys. Something’s going on. I feel like the soldiers aren’t normal—like they’re my enemy,” she shared. “Why is that?”

“You have highly advanced senses,” Giles said.

“Where’s Uncle Jack?” she asked Teal’c.

“We returned from PSX-118, so he should be in the infirmary,” Teal’c said. “I just left there.”

Buffy nodded, feeling like she was missing something. She turned like she was heading for the door, but sensed danger and kicked out. It was Teal’c—he was attacking her. Surprised, she glanced at Giles, who showed no reaction.

“What’s going on Teal’c?” she asked.

Instead of speaking, Teal’c pressed forward. Buffy wasn’t sure if he was possessed or snaked, but she wasn’t about to let him hurt her, though. 

They exchanged furious blows, and Buffy quickly realized that this wasn’t Teal’c.

“What the hell?” she said after Teal’c too easily got knocked out by one of her blows.

***** _To Be Continued*****_

_Thanks for reading!_


	7. I See You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter contains some events from “Foothold” episode 14 in season 3 of SG-1. I will readily admit to being lazy with details of the episode. It took me too long to write this chapter because I had so much trouble. I finally cut it short, and then I had no trouble finishing it. Sorry if you’re disappointed. I tried my best!
> 
> In this chapter, the first Toby McGuire Spiderman movie is referenced, so let’s pretend that it was already out! 😉

****** _Where We Left Off******_

After knocking Teal’c out, she didn’t stick around to talk to Giles, assuming that he, too, was an imposter. What to do? She needed to find her uncle—he’d know what to do.

“Buffy?”

She turned and saw Samantha. “Hey,” Buffy said.

“Buffy, you need to leave SG1,” Samantha said. “We came back from PSX-118, and there’s a foothold situation. Our people have been compromised.”

Buffy felt relieved. “Thank God you know,” she said. “I just knocked Teal’c out in two minutes flat.”

“Clearly, it wasn’t Teal’c,” she said.

“So what’s the plan?” Buffy asked.

“I’m going to leave the mountain and get help,” Samantha said.

“Why? You and I can deal with this,” Buffy said. “If my uncle’s got some alien imposter, then he is on the base somewhere. I’ll find him.”

“We can’t take on a base full of imposters. We don’t even know who’s been infiltrated,” Sam said.

“You might not be able to, but I sure can,” Buffy said with grim determination.

Samantha debated on what to do. Should she go for help? However, she knew that she couldn’t allow Buffy to proceed alone.

An hour later, Samantha was still amazed at what Buffy had accomplished. She’d tied up half the base until she’d ran into the real Teal’c and Jack, who helped her figure out how to disable the device that gave the aliens the false images of people they were impersonating. It turned out that certain loud frequencies did the trick. They discovered that after Teal’c had used a zat on the fake Teal’c, causing the image to flicker. His symbiote made the device impersonating him much weaker than on everyone else.

Sam worked on various other sounds until she found one that totally disrupted the images. 

“A sonic field would keep this thing from happening, sir,” she told Jack, who had been freed ten minutes earlier.

Jack didn’t like to see his niece doing what she was doing, but he couldn’t deny the results. Tracking skills? Check. Sneaky? Check. Knocking out the bad guys before they could react? Check. If his Marines were even close to this, he’d die a happy man.

Teal’c accompanied Buffy at least as she went through the rest of the base. Her strategy on figuring out if a person was bad was simple. They tried to arrest or attack her. Buffy argued that if Giles could recover from multiple blows to the head, it was perfectly fine for her to knock them out.

Somehow, Jack didn’t think his commander would agree.

Soon, though, Carter did what she always did—saved the day with her superbrain while his niece did her thing. 

“I feel old,” he muttered.

“Sir?” Sam said, turning toward him.

“I’ve been absolutely useless in all this,” he said sourly. “I miss Danny.”

“I know,” she said, putting her hand on his arm. “You can’t compare yourself, though, to Buffy. She’s special.”

Jack cheered up thinking about her. “I know she is, and I hope I can be what she needs,” he admitted.

“You can,” Sam said confidently.

“How do you know?” he asked.

“Because you don’t really know how to fail,” she pointed out.

That thought chased away his gloom, and he nodded. “True,” he said. 

When the base was back under Hammond’s command, the general gave very clear orders. “Add P3X-118 to the list of addresses we never visit again,” he said.

“Amen to that,” Jack agreed. A few of the aliens had managed to escape through the gate. However, Buffy had captured enough that the NID would be satisfied for a while. They were always complaining about not being involved enough. Jack didn’t like giving them access to technology that could be used for infiltration.

Sam, though, insisted that she could use sound waves to keep the aliens out. “It can play a few times a day—people won’t even notice it after a while,” she said.

“Fine,” Hammond agreed. “We have to speak about Buffy.”

“Must we?” Jack asked.

“Yes,” Hammond said. “She nearly single-handedly stopped an alien invasion. Now the entire base knows exactly what she is capable of. How are we going to explain it?”

“Well, Daniel suggested we call her a hok’tar—something the teams are familiar with,” Jack said.

“She doesn’t have telekinesis or telepathy,” Hammond pointed out. “Not to mention, she’s not a Jaffa.”

“I suggest we tell them that Jack has been training her since she was a child when he noticed she was physically gifted,” Samantha suggested.

“That might work,” Jack said.

“It is better than terrifying my men and women with the truth of the subterrestrial threats that are out there,” Hammond said. “They have enough to worry about with alien threats.”

Jack nodded. “Good point,” he said. “I am a master teacher—works for me.” He grinned while Sam rolled her eyes.

“You better tell Buffy,” she said. “She could just get annoyed with questions and tell the truth. She’s mentioned how she hates being secret-identity girl.”

“Can’t blame her,” Jack said. “She has to continuously hide her light under a bushel.”

“There are worse problems to have,” Hammond said. “Go check on her. You’re dismissed.”

Jack found Buffy with Teal’c in the cafeteria across from her.

“I see you worked up an appetite,” Jack said, sitting down next to her while Sam sat down next to Teal’c.

Buffy grinned. “Of course,” she said, taking a big bite of her cheeseburger. 

“I was most impressed with her ability to detect alien infiltration,” Teal’c said. “She’s been trying to explain to me how she does it as I wish to learn from her so that I won’t be taken in such a manner again.”

“I’ve been trying to explain to him what a spidey-sense is,” Buffy said. 

“She recommends that I watch the Marvel Spiderman movie with Toby McGuire,” Teal’c said. “Do either of you have a copy of it?”

“Don’t worry, buddy. We’ll go rent it and have a movie night at my place,” Jack said with a grin.

“Spiderman senses danger, and I just get the wiggins when something is off, thus my spidey-sense,” Buffy said.

Rupert Giles came and sat down with them. “Is everyone all right?” he asked.

“Peachy with a side of keen,” Buffy said happily. “I was just explaining to Teal’c about my spidey-sense.”

“You do not have a spidey-sense,” Giles said, giving her a disapproving look.

“I do, too!” Buffy said. “I get the wiggins when things are off.”

“You’re referring to a slayer’s highly refined sense that allows her to detect the presence of evil,” Giles said.

“That’s what I said,” Buffy said, giving him a cheeky grin. “Spide-sense. I don’t just detect evil, so your explanation is exactly right. In fact, Kendra was better at sensing evil than me if you recall. I knew Ted wasn’t right, but he wasn’t exactly evil. He was just a robot. I know Teal’c isn’t evil, but I still get the wiggins around him.” She gave him an apologetic look. “Sorry, Teal’c. I don’t mean that in a bad way. I’m used to that feeling now.”

“I understand,” Teal’c said with a smile. “However, I have watched the animal channel. Certain animals can sense when prey is near. I, too, wish to develop this sense.”

Jack grinned. “Good luck with that one, buddy,” he said.

“I am not sure what Buffy can do can be taught,” Giles said. 

“Nevertheless, I would like to learn,” Teal’c said.

“So we’re going to watch _Spiderman_ tonight,” Buffy said.

“Of course, you are,” Giles said with a fond smile.

“Do you wanna come?” Buffy asked.

“I appreciate the invitation,” Giles said. “However, I have some translations to do.”

“You work too much,” Buffy said.

“You know I enjoy translations,” Giles said.

“I guess,” Buffy said, shaking her head. 

“Some people have no idea what fun is,” Jack said, giving Giles a wink. 

“Rupert, when is the new recruit you recommended arriving?” Sam asked her.

“He should be here within a week,” Giles said. “I didn’t recommend him as I don’t know the man personally. His father has a very prominent position in the Council with a lot of influence.” 

“He better understand about secrecy, and not report everything we do here to his council,” Jack said.

“I worked out a detailed contract that the Council approved, so it should be all right,” Giles said. “The British are well versed in necessity of keeping state secrets for the good of all.”

“You don’t know him personally?” Sam asked.

“He is much younger than I, so we were not in the same circles,” Giles replied.

“Oh, young and British?” Buffy asked, her eyes lighting up. “Is he cute?” She glanced at Sam. “Sam, since you can’t date Uncle Jack, maybe this guy will strike your fancy.”

“Buffy!” Jack said, frowning at her.

“What?” Buffy asked, trying to look innocent. “Does the idea of her with a hot, brilliant, British guy make you jealous?”

“Buffy,” Sam said, feeling mortified.

“That’s enough!” Giles said with a glare. “You are completely out of line. Not only are you embarrassing Dr. Carter and your uncle, the man is not even here yet, but you are souring his relations and contacts with SG-1.”

Buffy looked stricken at the rare reprimand from her watcher. “I’m sorry!” she exclaimed. She gave Samantha a look of contrition. “I didn’t mean to embarrass you.”

“I know,” Samantha said. “It’s okay.”

“No, it’s not,” Jack said. “Buffy, you can’t go around making comments about Sam and me like that. I’m her superior officer, and it’s a serious issue.”

“How about we change the subject?” Giles suggested. “Tomorrow, I would like us to go patrolling in Manitou Springs.”

Buffy’s eyes lit up. “Really? That’s awesome!” she said excitedly.

“I believe we should spend two nights a week exploring the nearby towns and seeing if there is any demonic activity,” Giles said.

“I would like to accompany you on these excursions,” Teal’c said.

“So would I,” Jack said.

“Count me out,” Samantha said. “But keep me posted.”

“We should head home, so I can shower and go to the movie rental store,” Buffy said.

“Sam, can you bring Teal’c by around seven?” Jack asked.

“Of course,” she said. “I’m just glad it’s not _Star Wars_ again.”

Jack laughed while Teal’c turned to Giles and ask him if he had seen the movie _Star Wars_.

He was one loyal Jaffa.

***** _Sunnydale******_

Daniel really liked working at the high school. He still had a back log of translations that he brought with him and was committed to doing. Sadly, the library was not very busy, but Buffy’s friends were there off and on throughout the day. Even if they didn’t stay long, they swung by to say hello and share a bit of gossip.

The week of the school dance, though, horrible things happened. First a janitor killed a teacher, and the students were visibly upset.

After class, they met with him in the library. “I was researching this week in the school ‘cause the janitor kept saying he didn’t own a gun, and then a gun wasn’t found,” Willow explained. “I was thinking maybe there was something weird about it.”

“’Cause the school is on the mouth of hell,” Cordelia said. “Of course, there’d be disappearing guns.”

Daniel grinned at her—her snarkiness reminded him of Jack, and he enjoyed her more and more.

“What did you find out?” he asked.

“There was an affair between a student named James Stanley and his teacher Grace Newman,” Willow said. “When she tried to end it, he shot her on the eve of the Sadie Hawkins dance.”

“So you think what? A ghost is reenacting the entire thing?” Daniel asked.

“It makes sense,” Xander said. “Seems kind of sad.”

“It is,” Willow agreed.

“Please. The ghost should get over it and move on!” Cordelia said.

“Do you think it’s the murdered woman or the killer James?” Daniel asked.

“I’m not sure,” Willow said.

“Well, I think we should organize a boycott of this dance,” Cordelia said. “I mean it’s crazy enough that the girls have to ask the guy and pay for everything anyway!”

“I think it’s kind of cool,” Willow ventured.

“You would,” Cordelia muttered.

“I guess we should call Giles—poltergeist isn’t really my area of expertise,” Daniel said with a rueful smile.

“Ms. Calendar will probably know something,” Willow said.

“Okay, let me know what she says,” Daniel said. “You all be careful.”

Of course, it did not matter how careful the kids were if snakes magically appeared in the cafeteria. If he hadn’t been there, looking for Ms. Calendar, Daniel might not have believed it. One bit Cordelia in the face, so there was a physical sign that they were real. Luckily, it did not appear to be poisonous.

Snyder called in the police and animal control. Daniel wanted to talk to him and the police and overheard him talking to the police chief when he followed him outside.

“Bob, this is the hellmouth. How long do you think we can contain this?” Snyder asked the police chief.

“As long as necessary. The City Council hired you to keep a lid on things,” he said.

“People will start to ask questions,” Snyder said. 

“Then provide answers,” he said. “If you have a problem doing your job, take it up with the Mayor.”

Someone shouted a question, and Snyder turned and said, “Backed up sewer line. Same thing happened in San Diego last week.”

Daniel was stunned. He turned away, debating on what to do. His previous thoughts had been that Snyder was an ass, who didn’t deserve his job. Now, though, he knew it was a conspiracy. Even the Mayor knew.

He had to call Rupert. 

Luckily, Rupert gave instructions on how to do a cleansing, and Ms. Calendar had the ingredients. They went to call the four corners. He and Ms. Calendar took two while Oz and Willow went to one and Cordelia and Xander the other. 

Much to Daniel’s dismay, they all were met with incredible resistance. He saw hallucinations; Willow was sucked in the floor. Cordelia thought her face was rotting off—it was horrific for all of them. Then a swarm of wasps chased them all out of the school, and Daniel felt like he was in ancient Egypt with Moses. Somehow, the swarm was blocking off the school. It was both fascinating and disturbing. He got out his phone to record the phenomena.

He wasn’t sure he was up to this, and he wondered if he needed to call in Kendra’s Watcher. However, the kids were shaken, and he insisted they go home. They would regroup the next day and come up with a plan. 

He heard a voice. “I need you.” Puzzled, he turned back toward the school. As he approached, the swarms parted. _Fascinating._

He didn’t see another person enter the school behind him.

“The man with words and books and sad eyes,” Drusilla murmured as she watched Daniel go into the school. “He isn’t supposed to be here—it’s wrong.”

She walked through the swarm, caught up in the spirit’s thrall.

Drusilla approached the new player, who had paused in the hallway. When he turned to face him, she smiled. “Hello,” she said.

Daniel recognized the insane vampire from pictures he had been shown, and he felt fear. Then suddenly, it was like a fog came over him, and he stepped closer to her as he only saw the face of his beloved.

“You’re the only one. The only one I can talk to,” he said to her.

“No one but my Spike wants to talk to me,” Drusilla said, fascinated. “Come tell me your secrets.”

Now they were within touching distance. “You can’t make me disappear because you say it’s over,” he said to her, his voice fool of pain. He reached out for her.

“Actually, I can,” Drucilla said. Then, she, too, saw only the face of her love. “I want you to have some kind of normal life. We can never have that, don’t you see?”

“I don’t give a _damn_ about a normal life!” Daniel exclaimed. _Where were these words coming from? Why was he so upset? Why was he saying them?_ The words kept coming, however. “I’m going crazy not seeing you. I think about you every minute.” He raised his hand to her cheek, and she closed her eyes when his lips touched hers.

“I know,” she said, breaking off the kiss. Then she opened her eyes again. “But it’s over. It has to be.”

She turned to run off, and he said, “Come back here! We’re not done!” he yelled. Daniel found himself chasing her until he reached out to grab her and turn her toward him. “You don’t care anymore, is that it?”

Drucilla began sobbing. “It doesn’t matter. It doesn’t matter what I feel!”

“Then tell me you don’t love me!” Daniel insisted. He reached for her hand and pulled her close. “Say it!”

“Is that what you need to hear? Will that help? I don’t. I don’t, so let me go,” she said, pulling away and taking a step back.

“No! A person doesn’t just wake up one day and stop loving someone,” Daniel said in anguish. Where was this pain coming from? He felt like his heart was breaking, but anger began to build. He looked down at his hand, and there was a gun.

“Love is forever,” he said softly.

Drucilla saw the gun and glanced at him with frightened eyes.

“I’m not afraid to use it,” he said, pointing it at her. “If I can’t be with you. . .”

He gripped the gun tighter, and she turned to run. He began to chase after her.

“Stop! Don’t make me shoot you!” he yelled. What was he doing? He wouldn’t shoot someone unarmed, and yet his rage clouded his mind. 

She was trapped by a door and turned to face him, begging him not to do it. “Please, give me the gun, James.” 

When she tried to grab the gun, it went off, shooting Drucilla, who looked at him in shock. Then her face transformed into a vampire, and Daniel blinked.

“That wasn’t supposed to happen,” Drucilla said, looking stricken. “The stars are all wrong.” Then she turned and ran off.

Daniel looked at the gun in his hand, but it was gone.

What the heck had just happened?

***** _Chapter End*****_

_Some dialogue in this last bit was taken directly from the BTVS episode, “I Only Have Eyes For You.” I thought it’d be fun to take the Buffy/Angel scene and use completely new participants. I hope you were pleasantly surprised. Reviews are appreciated! Thanks!_


	8. A Deadly Crush

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Events from SG-1 episode sixteen “Urgo” are portrayed to some degree in this chapter.

***** _Colorado*****_

Buffy was very excited to spend two nights in a row slaying in Manitou Springs. Teal’c enjoyed it immensely because it was much tamer than a few of the chaotic scenes he’d witnessed in his time in Sunnydale. She was able to give a demonstration of her senses on display. Teal’c was able to sense them if the vampire saw them first and was stalking them. His own flight or fight senses was highly tuned. Buffy enjoyed his enthusiasm as no one else loved to fight like he did.

Then the team went to P4X-884 and returned with a ghost.

Buffy first discovered her uncle arguing with someone that wasn’t there.

“Huh, Uncle Jack, who are you talking to?” she asked.

“It’s Urgo. We’ve all been implanted by an alien virus of some kind. It projects this jolly, fat guy named Urgo. Only we can see him. I’m talking to him ‘cause he appeared to me,” Jack said.

“Sure, he did,” Buffy said, humoring him. “It sounds like a haunting. I’m going to call Giles and have him perform an exorcist.”

“What’s a haunting?” Urgo asked Jack.

“It’s when a person dies, but they stay on Earth, haunting or shadowing the living,” Jack told him. “As far as I know, it’s a bunch of hogwash.”

“What’s a bunch of hogwash?” Buffy asked.

“Hauntings and ghosts,” he said.

“That’s not true. Didn’t Giles tell you about the haunting at school in Sunnydale just last week?” Buffy asked. “Daniel got possessed by a ghost and kissed Drusilla, a mad vampire!”

“We’ve been playing phone tag, so I haven’t actually talked to Danny,” Jack said.

“Did Giles go with you? Is he possessed too?” Buffy asked. “I’m going to go find a witch, so Urgo can die.”

“Urgo doesn’t want to die!” Urgo exclaimed in fear. “Tell her, Jack. Urgo is not evil! I have read Rupert’s mind. I know that he has fought evil, and that that girl is a weapon. Don’t let her kill me!”

“She’s not going to kill you,” Jack assured him, trying to hide his amusement. “Buffy, Urgo is harmless. He just wants to learn things. How about you and Rupert take him patrolling? Didn’t Rupert say that Central City might have some vampires?”

“You are being mind-controlled, Uncle Jack, and I don’t like it,” Buffy said, crossing her arms.

“Go talk to Rupert,” Jack said. “I’m sure he can reassure you as this is really his domain.”

“I gotta go to class, but I will be on base afterward,” Buffy said. She looked around the room as if she could spot Urgo. “If anything happens to you, I’m going to be pissed. Do you hear that, Urgo?”

“She’s scary,” Urgo whispered to Jack.

Jack smiled but didn’t comment. “I’ll be fine,” he assured his niece.

Buffy frowned, clearly not comfortable, but she went to school. After school, she made it to the base and went straight to Giles’ office. When she got to the doorway, she heard him talking about the supernatural. However, when she stepped inside, no one was there.

“Giles, please tell me your recording a lecture and not talking to a jolly fat guy no one can see!”

Giles looked up and took off his glasses. “Well, your uncle told me that you knew about the alien implant,” Giles said. “I’ve become convinced that Urgo might be sentient.”

“You think the ghost is alive?” Buffy asked.

“He’s not a ghost,” Giles said. “He’s more like an alien construct.”

“Well, I don’t like it,” Buffy said, crossing her arms. “What’s your plan to get rid of him?”

“We are meeting in a half hour to discuss just that,” Giles said.

“I want to be there,” Buffy said. “I’m going to go to Sam’s office and work on my homework until then.”

She did that and put on music to drown out Sam’s voice as she, too, was talking to her imaginary friend, Urgo.”

“We should go back to your planet,” Samantha told Urgo.

“If you do that, I will be destroyed!” Urgo said in panic.

“We’ll make sure that doesn’t happen,” she said. “I could use an electromagnet pulse to disable the implants.”

“Please, don’t! I don’t wanna die!” Urgo wailed dramatically.

Samantha shared her theory with the team when they assembled in her office.

“It is clear that Urgo isn’t just a computer program,” Samantha said after she shared what she could do to free them from him. His reaction was predictably dramatic.

“Do we have the right to destroy a benign sentient being, however?” Giles asked.

“I was thinking that myself,” Sam said.

“If a being has taken up shop in your brain, _you have the right_!” Buffy said, glaring at them. “You guys are insane if you let him stay!”

“We weren’t thinking that, Buffy,” Giles said. “We were just considering alternatives to flipping a switch and killing him.”

“Why don’t we send the MALP back through the gate and broadcast a message to Urgo’s people?” Jack suggested. “Maybe they’ll be willing to help Urgo and not destroy him.”

However, that plan backfired because a booming voice replied to their message. “Urgo is an error! He should not have revealed himself!” the voice said. “Come to our planet, and we will destroy him for you.”

“That’s Togar, our leader. Don’t let him kill me!” Urgo begged.

“We will do what we can,” Jack said. He looked at his superior. “I think we’re going to have to go back to the planet and speak directly to this Togar.”

Hammond nodded. “I agree. However, you being free from the implants is the goal. Not saving Urgo,” he said. “Do you understand?”

“I do,” Jack said.

“I don’t like this,” Buffy said. “They invaded your mind, Uncle Jack. Who’s to say they might not do worse if you return there?”

“Togar is not evil,” Urgo said. “He will not harm you.” He had begun to understand what evil was after studying Rupert’s fascinating memories. Buffy, however, wasn’t willing to take Giles’ imaginary friend slaying.

“I am not encouraging this insanity,” she said, digging in her heels.

In the end, the team did go back to P4X-884. Much to Urgo’s relief, they did manage to convince Togar that Urgo was sentient and no longer just a computer program. Togar agreed to transfer Urgo onto himself.

When the alert sounded for gate activity, Buffy raced to the gate to greet her uncle and his team. They’d been gone way too long, and she was about ready to knock out the guards and mount a rescue. Now, though, Walter said it was SG-1 coming through the gate.

She ran to Jack and hugged him. “Are you okay? Did Urgo get wiped?” she asked.

Jack gave her a puzzled expression. “What do you mean? Who’s Urgo?” he asked.

“What?” Buffy said in surprise. “Urgo was the alien computer virus implanted in all of you guys.” She looked at the team, and they all wore the same puzzled, confused expression.

“Buffy, are you feeling all right?” Giles asked, giving her a concerned look.

  
“Me? You guys are the ones with the sudden case of amnesia,” Buffy said. She looked at Hammond. “Tell them, sir.”

“Buffy is correct,” Hammond said. He told them what had been happening and why they went back to the planet they just came from.

“Fascinating,” Giles said.

Buffy rolled her eyes. “It is _not_ fascinating that some aliens put the whammy on you!” she exclaimed. “They wiped your memory, Giles. There’s no telling what else you forgot!”

“Well, we will send them to Dr. Frasier,” Hammond said. “She will run tests. I am sure they are fine.” He gave Buffy a reassuring smile.

Buffy didn’t feel as confident and followed them to be checked out, refusing to leave the team until Dr. Frasier gave them a clean bill of health.

Finally, Buffy could relax, but she wasn’t going to let her uncle forget this one anytime soon!

**** _*Sunnydale*****_

Daniel was very uncomfortable over what had happened with the ghost at the high school. As Xander would say, he was “wigged out.” He had discussed it in depth with both Kendra’s watcher and Rupert. Both agreed that there was no reason to think that he would be susceptible to possession of that sort. The killing of the custodian seemed to make it clear that anyone who was in that spot would have been possessed. Of course, Daniel’s disquiet stemmed from the fact that it had pulled him toward the school. However, they still insisted that he need not worry about a recurrence.

A week went by and things seemed to settle back to normal—normal for a school on a hellmouth. His experience seemed to break the ice between him and Kendra’s watcher Sam. More and more the two of them would come by the library. Kendra was an excellent student with a mind for history. He had convinced her to enroll in the high school next year, so she could experience all the senior activities with the rest of the teens.

It was amusing to see, though, how she would shut down whenever speaking to a teenage boy like Xander.

After witnessing her awkwardness, he waited until Xander left to speak. “You know, Kendra, if you were in school, you would get used to interaction with the opposite sex,” he said.

“A slayer has no need for outside distractions,” Sam said in disapproval.

“A slayer is a young girl with emotions and a right to happiness,” Daniel said sternly. “Rupert has told me how the council has callously viewed the slayers over the years, and it has only led to their early demise.”

Sam did not argue further, but Daniel knew that he did not agree. It made Daniel very frustrated and hoped he could persuade them by the end of the summer.

He went into the library a week after his encounter with Drusilla. He had been researching the vampire and was more than a bit rattled to learn the things he had learned about her. Supposedly, she had the gift of second sight and some powers of hypnotism. The fact that the ghost had managed to influence her, though, was proof of how strong it had been, which did bring him some measure of consolation.

This particular morning, he heard a yapping sound and turned toward the cage that was used both for storage and to lock Oz up on a full moon. Cautiously, he approached and peered inside.

There inside the cage was an adorable pug puppy. “How did you get in there, little fella?” he asked.

He picked up the puppy, who began licking his face. Then he noticed that the dog had a red bow on it and a piece of paper. Frowning, he detached the piece of paper and unfolded it. _Daniel, I look forward to our next encounter. Yours, Dru_

“What the hell?” Daniel asked, rereading the note.

The library door opened, and Willow came in with Oz. The two often arrived early at school as Willow loved to be in the school first, and Oz loved Willow.

“Good morning, Daniel,” Willow said with a bright smile. He gave the girl a distracted smile. “Why do you have a puppy? Can I hold it? My parents would never let me have a dog—I always wanted one. I thought the house might seem less lonely.”

Daniel’s eyes met Oz, and he knew they both were thinking the same dark thoughts about Willow’s parents. 

“You can hold it,” Daniel said, handing it off to her. “It was in the cage with a note.”

He gave it to Oz, who read it, his eyebrows going up in alarm. “That’s disconcerting,” he said.

“I think you are understating the matter,” Daniel said. “Disturbing and horrifying is a better description.”

“What?” Willow asked, moving to look at the note. “This adorable puppy is a gift from Dru. Who’s Dru?”

When Oz glanced at Willow, arching an eyebrow, it dawned on her. “Oh! Drusilla. Drusilla the insane vampire. Lover of Spike,” she said. She gave Daniel a look of horror. “What-what is she doing sending you a puppy?”

“I don’t know,” Daniel said. “I’m thinking she was somewhat affected by our mutual haunting last week.”

“This isn’t good, Daniel,” Willow said. “This type of fixation was what Angelus did with Buffy. Of course, she did give you a live puppy instead of a dead one. That’s good.” She gave him a weak smile.

“Should I keep the puppy? Would that encourage her? Would _not_ keeping it enrage her?” Daniel wondered.

The teenagers didn’t know the answer to that question, but they were scared for him.

***** _The Night Before*****_

Spike had been arguing with Drusilla for over an hour about the new watcher-type that was in the school library. “Dru, what happened to you and Dr. Jackson was not the hand of fate! It was just a case of right time and right place. You were following him and got sucked into the poltergeist’s fantasy. It means nothing!” he exclaimed. 

“We lost Daddy. Angelus is gone,” she reminded him. “We need a new daddy, and my Daniel is brilliant and younger than the slayer’s watcher. He has been to the stars and can teach us so much. I want him!” She stomped her foot like a child. 

“Dru, turning someone doesn’t mean they will stay with you or appreciate it,” Spike said. “I learned that the hard way when I turned me mum.”

“My poor Spike. Mommy broke your heart,” she said, caressing his face. “But our new daddy won’t.” 

Spike groaned in frustration. “Do you want me to nab him?” he asked.

She shook her head. “No. We will give him a gift to show him we mean no harm,” she said. “We will win his heart—he’s full of compassion. It’s his gift and his curse.”

Spike looked doubtful, but he finally conceded. It would hurt the slayer and her friends if they did turn their new book man. “Fine,” he said. “I will take them the dog—at least you managed not to break this one’s neck.” There were three dead dogs around the room that weren’t so lucky.

“His face reminds me of my grandpappy,” Drusilla said, petting the puppy, who was whining and shaking in fear. 

Soon, their Starman would be with them—she would have a family again.

***** _Chapter End*****_


	9. Unacceptable

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In this chapter, the episode from season 3 of SG-1 “A Hundred Days” is referenced. This is the episode where Jack gets stranded on the planet Edora for 100 days, falls in love and almost decides to stay. At the end of the episode, they hint, the woman is pregnant with his child, but she never told him. I won’t be following that storyline exactly. I debated on whether or not to have Jack get stranded, but then I decided that what happens to Jack will be used to push some other story threads forward. I hope to get officially to BTVS season 3 and the start of the senior year soon.

_*****SGC*****_

After Jack’s experience with Urgo, Buffy wasn’t very supportive of him going off planet. “It’s my job, Buffy,” he said. 

“Well, I don’t like it,” she said, crossing her arms and glaring.

She was so cute that he couldn’t help but smile at her in amusement. “I love you,” he said.

“No, you don’t. If you did, you wouldn’t leave me to go fight aliens!” she announced.

Jack’s mouth fell open. “What are you—ten?” he asked, grinning.

Buffy tried to pout, but her smile broke through. “Fine. I thought I’d give it a try,” she said. “Be careful. You better come back to me.”

“You fight monsters,” he said. “You put yourself in much more danger than I do—so does your Watcher.”

“Speaking of Watchers, you better not get mine broken!” she said, glaring again. “Why hasn’t Daniel returned already? He can’t possibly be enjoying the hellmouth!”

“He is enjoying feeling needed by the kids in Dr. Giles’ absence,” Jack said.

“We probably need to send Giles back to Sunnydale then,” Buffy said. “Maybe Daniel will come back.”

“Your Watcher is training the new hyphenated guy on our new mission, so hopefully things will get more normal soon,” Jack said.

“Hyphenated guy?” Buffy asked, her eyes dancing in amusement.

“He’s got a pretentious hyphenated last name!” Jack said defensively.

“Well, if you train another Daniel replacement, how will that help get Daniel back?” she asked.

“We can always use a good nerd,” Jack said with a grin.

Buffy was smiling as she shook her head. “I should tell him you said that,” she said.

“He’s heard me say that before,” Jack said. “Now give me a hug and tell me you will stay out of trouble while I’m gone.”

“I’ll do my best,” she said. “You better come back in one piece.”

“I’ll do my best,” he said with wink.

Several hours later, Wesley Wyndam-Price nervously stepped through the stargate unable to believe it was really happening. When his father had told him that he would accept this new opportunity to work with the American military, he had done so with grave misgivings. No one at the council but Rupert Giles had known the military had found a stargate that allowed them to travel throughout the Milky Way Galaxy. Wesley was beyond excited and working hard to keep his normal detached exterior. However, the team leader Colonel O’Neill made it difficult as he kept referring to him as the hyphenated guy.

“Do not let the Colonel bother you,” Dr. Giles said. “He likes to tease. The better you handle it, the better you’ll fit in with his team.”

“Americans are entirely too informal,” Wesley complained.

“That is very true,” Giles said with a smile. “One of my students back in California is always calling me G-Man.”

“You allow that?” Wesley asked in shocked.

“Of course not,” Giles said. “I do a lot of glaring.”

“Does it help?” Wesley asked.

“No,” he admitted.

“Sir,” Samantha Carter said to Jack. “If my readings are correct, a meteor shower will hit this entire area, devastating it.”

“That’s just great,” Jack muttered. It was going to be one of those trips.

Several hours later, things went completely to hell. He managed to get his team out except for himself and his new nerd before an asteroid destroyed the stargate.

Buffy was going to kick his ass.

_*****Sunnydale*****_

Daniel was becoming increasingly disturbed as Drusilla kept focusing her attention on him. Once, he received flowers. Another time, he received a book of rare poetry that he actually liked. Then he felt guilty for liking it. Rupert agreed that her attention was not good, and it was decided that he was never to be alone in the library after dark. The library was open to the general public, so Drusilla could enter at will. It was clear that she was fixated on Daniel. Whether that meant she wanted to kill him or turn him, they didn’t know. Both thoughts were terrifying to him. That meant any study parties they often did in the library were moved to private homes.

This particular day, he was patrolling with Kendra and the kids when they came across Spike and some other vampires. Daniel was relieved to see that Drusilla wasn’t with him. Kendra jumped into the fray while Xander took out one with the crossbow.

Spike, however, noticed that Daniel was in the group. “Hey, it’s the new Watcher man,” he said, smiling.

“I’m not actually a watcher,” Daniel said, pushing up his glasses. “I’m a linguist and an anthropologist. Just filling in at the library for Dr. Giles.”

“You don’t seem nearly as stuffy as one of those council blokes,” Spike said with a grin. He looked over at Kendra and pointed. “Her watcher is a real blow hard—not like the other slayer’s watcher.”

“Why are you talking to me and not trying to kill me?” Daniel asked, fascinated in spite of himself. He had so many questions and debated the wisdom of asking. Would it encourage Drusilla’s obsession if he asked Spike questions?

Spike grinned. “’Cause Dru wants you to join our family,” Spike said.

Daniel’s mouth fell open in horror. “That’s never going to happen,” he said.

“Sure, it will,” he said. “As soon as we kill your little slayer here.”

Kendra turned and charged him. Spike grinned. “I love a bit of violence before bedtime,” he said.

Kendra didn’t speak, but she kicked him in the stomach.

“You’re one of those all work and no play slayers, huh?” Spike said. “They brain washed you good and proper. I bet you actually believe the Council has your best interest at heart and everything.”

Xander got his crossbow working and aimed at Spike, but Kendra kept getting in the way. Finally, she moved, and he got off a shot, hitting Spike in the shoulder.

“Oww!” Spike yelled.

“Yes!” Xander exclaimed.

Spike knew it was time to leave, and he took off before Kendra could finish him off. Kendra gave chase, but he jumped into a sewer hole.

“Well, at least you caused him some pain,” Willow said, patting Xander on the back.

“Yes, it was good of you to help,” Kendra said to Xander. “It would have been better, however, if you had managed to hit his heart. We will practice your aim.”

She then turned and started walking. 

“Man, Spike was right,” Willow said to Xander. “She really is all work and no play.”

“I miss Buffy,” Xander said.

Daniel, though, was shaken by Spike’s words. They wanted to kill Kendra and make him like them.

As the fate was so much like being possessed by a Goa’uld, he couldn’t contemplate such a fate without feeling sick. Which was worse? Being trapped in your body while a Goa’uld did what it wanted with your body while you watched, or having your body taking completely over by a demon that would slaughter countless humans wearing your face? Either choice, was abhorrent and an utter violation of the person.

One thing Daniel knew for sure was he did not want to become a new member of the Scourge of Europe. The idea was totally unacceptable and made him shudder as he pictured it.

***** _SGC*****_

When Buffy greeted SG-1’s return from Edora, she gave Giles and Sam a questioning glance. “Where’s Uncle Jack?” she asked. She looked at Tealc and back to Sam. “And didn’t you have a newbie?” They brought a bunch of people with them, but she didn’t see her uncle or the new watcher.

“What happened?” Hammond asked.

“They had an astrological event,” Samantha said. “It was devastating, and the people had no way to escape the meteorites except the stargate.”

“Unfortunately, the gate closed before the Colonel and Wesley could come through,” Giles said.

“I believe it was destroyed,” Samantha said.

Hammond told Walter to try to dial to Edora. Nothing happened.

“What does that mean?” Buffy asked.

“Unfortunately, Buffy, it means that your uncle will have to wait until a ship can pick him up,” he said.

“What?” Buffy asked. “How long can that take?”

“It can take months,” Samantha said. “If we could get a hold of the Asgards, it would be faster.”

“I will try to contact them,” Hammond said.

“It is possible that the gate is buried and not destroyed,” Teal’c said. 

“We will have to wait and see,” Hammond said.

“In the meantime, Buffy,” Samantha said. “Why don’t you come stay with me?”

“School’s almost out. Dad wants me to go visit him in Japan,” Buffy said. “I can until then.”

“That’s good,” Hammond said. “Japan is a great country to visit. You will have lots of fun, and your uncle will be back in no time.”

Buffy hoped so, but she was going to give him such a hard time when he returned.

***** _*Two Weeks Later*****_

Jack couldn’t believe it. They were stuck on an alien planet with no quick way to return. The gate was destroyed or buried under so much rubble they couldn’t get to it either way. Luckily, his new nerd was extremely useful. His brain was an encyclopedia of knowledge. Unlike Danny, he was very comfortable with guns. In fact, he was a dead shot with a gun and wasn’t at all queasy about killing cute little bunnies or skinning it for dinner. More and more, he found him growing right down fond of the Brit. Laira, the leader of the local village, was spending time showing Wesley the best hunting spots. Then she would take his game and make meals out of it.

Jack worked to help organize the cleanup. Rebuilding the shelters was the priority. 

“Colonel,” Wesley said, drawing his attention.

“What’s up, Wes?” he asked with a grin. “I’ve decided to call you Wes since we’re stranded on an alien world.”

“That’s better than hyphenated guy,” Wesley said, giving him a small smile.

Jack just smirked. “What can I do you for?” he asked.

“Laira wants to know if you think they should send out a scouting party?” Wesley asked. “Some neighbors in a nearby village might have survived.”

“That’s a good idea. I will lead that party,” Jack said. He needed something to distract him from the fact that he had been away from Buffy for two weeks. Not only would she be terrified for him, not knowing if he died in the meteorite shower, but she might have legal issues with staying in Colorado much longer without him. Luckily, school for the year was about over, and she was going to spend time with her father anyway. Would they know not to let Hank know he was missing in action? Hank had the power to keep Buffy away from him, and Jack couldn’t bear the thought of that. He knew life without Charlie was so much less, but he’d gotten use to that emptiness. However, now that he’d had Buffy in his life, he didn’t know that he had the strength to go back to that existence, living only for his job.

He loved his team, but his job came at a high personal cost. Whatever might be between him and Sam could never be. She was the finest woman he had ever known, but his rank made him keep her forever at a distance. Watching how great she was with Buffy made the sacrifice even more obvious. Losing Buffy from his life, though, wasn’t a sacrifice he was going to make for his job. They both needed each other, and he didn’t know what he would do if this latest trip ended up costing him Buffy.

“Are you ready, sir?” a villager named Jasia asked him.

“I am,” Jack said, eager for a distraction. He would stay busy and hope time passed quickly. Knowing that his friends would take good care of his niece gave him some measure of peace. Hopefully, they would know the consequences of telling Hank about his absence and keep silent.

***** _Two More Weeks*****_

Buffy’s classes were over, and she was having trouble sleeping even though Sam assured her Jack was okay. She already lost her mom, and she couldn’t bear the thought of losing her uncle, too.

“I just know it, Buffy,” Sam told her. Sam had to believe it because she refused to contemplate any other reality.

Her ticket to Tokyo, Japan was for six days after classes ended, and she was a bit excited. She decided to put her faith in her uncle and his promise. He was very experienced, and he was probably just stranded protecting his new nerd. She would make him buy her lots of shoes for worrying her, though. Since her uncle’s work was so classified, she decided not to mention his missing status to her father and hoped her dad wouldn’t ask to speak to Jack anytime soon. The fact that the two didn’t exactly get along worked in her favor.

After making it in Japan and reuniting with her dad, she was able to put her uncle and her mom out of her mind.

“I am so glad you are here, honey,” Hank said, hugging her. “Japan is such a fun place with amazing culture. There is so much to show you. I figured you can rest and get settled today, and then we’ll do some sightseeing tomorrow. I have the next two days off.”

Buffy was a bit surprised but pleased that her dad was going to give her so much of his attention. He was staying in a large apartment building that housed other American businessmen. Her father impressed her with his working knowledge of Japanese.

“I can’t believe you speak Japanese!” she said.

“I’ve been learning some basics. Mostly just what you need to be polite or to order things,” he said. “I can’t read it.”

Buffy was gratified to be around so many people that didn’t tower over her when they walked outside of the apartment building the next day. “I have found my people!” she joked.

Hank laughed. “Wait until you try the food,” he said. He had fed her a regular American breakfast of donuts and coffee.

“So, what’s on our agenda?” Buffy asked excitedly.

“Tomorrow night, I have tickets to hottest show in town,” he said. “It’s called the Fuerza Bruta, and it’s this spectacular show that all my co-workers talk about. There’s samurais and cool ninja performers that dance with a pool of water suspended over their heads. It’s supposed to be the most amazing visual performance you can see. I haven’t had a chance to do much tourist stuff since I’ve been here as works kept me so busy, and I’m excited to do some with you.”

“That sounds really fun,” Buffy said, impressed.

“Tomorrow, at lunch, I thought we’d go to this place that gives you a taste of Japanese cuisine while teaching you Origami. How does that sound?” Hank asked.

“Very awesome!” she said. It meant a lot that her dad was trying to do fun activities with her. “I really appreciate this, Dad. Losing Mom has been hard.” Her eyes filled with tears like it did every time she thought about her mother.

Hank stopped walking and pulled her in for a hug. “I know, sweetie. I can’t believe she’s gone either. Her murder was so senseless,” he said.

After they started walking, Hank told her, “There’s a lot of rain in Japan this time of year, so we’re lucky it’s nice today. I thought we’d go see the very famous ancient Buddhist temple called the Sensō-ji. Then go to the **Tsukiji Fish Market. Once you go there, you can try various foods. Then you’ll know where it’s at and can get there on your own whenever you want. It’s a lot of walking.”**

**“Well, I know I’m up for it. Are you?” she asked him with a grin.**

**Hank was relieved to see the smile back on her face, and they continued their trek.**

******* _Sunnydale*****_**

**Now that school was over for the summer, Daniel had decided it was time to go back to Colorado. Drusilla had continued her pursuit of even though he rarely ventured outside after dark unless he was with Kendra. With Jack missing, he was starting to feel guilty for abandoning his team. Buffy was in Japan visiting her father, and Rupert was ready to be reunited with his girlfriend. Ms. Calendar was already in Colorado helping him pack up his stuff. She was also doing some work with Sam, who was determined to try to see if she could figure out how to apply to magic to science.**

**He was packing up his books when the phone rang. “Hello,” he said.**

**“Daniel, Willow’s been snatched,” Xander said.**

**“What do you mean?” Daniel asked.**

**“Oz, said that her doorbell rang, and she went to answer it. He heard her scream, and when he went to the door, he saw Spike dragging her off,” Xander said. “Spike said that if we wanted her back, you had to come to the park in one hour.”**

**“This is bad. This is very bad,” Daniel said.**

**“Yea, I know,” Xander said. “Oz is very upset, and I’m trying not to imagine all the ways they’re hurting my best friend.”**

**“I don’t think they’ll hurt her,” Daniel said.**

**“You don’t?” Xander said, latching on to his words like a lifeline.**

**“I don’t. They need her to bargain for me,” he said.**

**Xander felt instantly relieved at his words. “I really hope you’re right,” he said.**

**“Have you called Kendra? We need to make a plan,” Daniel said.**

**“We are picking her up now and coming to you for that very reason,” Xander said.**

**“Good. I’ll see you soon,” Daniel said. He hadn’t spent much time at the park, so he went to his laptop and pulled up an aerial view of the park to plan out the best approach.**

**When Kendra and her watcher arrived, he had a plan. However, Kendra didn’t agree.**

**“A frontal assault is the best approach,” she said.**

**“We don’t know how many vampires they have with them,” Daniel argued. “That could get Willow killed.”**

**An argument broke out until Kendra’s watcher, Sam, yelled, “Enough! Kendra is the slayer. We shall follow her lead.”**

**Daniel resigned himself to the ill-conceived plan and loaded up weapons. He pulled Oz and Xander aside. “Use the crossbows to take out as many vampires as you can. If you can see a way to get to Willow, get her and go. Get her to safety,” Daniel said.**

**“What about you?” Xander asked.**

**“I can take care of myself,” Daniel said.**

**When they made it to the park, Willow was sitting on the swing set next to Drusilla.**

**“You should let me approach alone and get Willow away safely,” Daniel said to Kendra.**

**Kendra could sense there were vampires, but she wasn’t seeing any. She nodded. “All right,” she conceded.**

**Xander and Oz watched for Spike as they knew he was nearby; both were holding crossbows. Daniel and Sam had swords and stakes. They didn’t involve Cordelia as they didn’t want to risk another woman they cared about. She was packing to go on her vacation to Mexico anyway.**

**“Drusilla, I’m going to need you to let Willow go,” Daniel said as he slowly approached the swing set.**

“You are here!” she said, clapping her hands. 

“I’m not staying,” Daniel said.

Spike made his appearance. “Of course, you are,” he said. “Dru wants you to join us, so you will.”

Daniel saw Oz move from the tree line and grab Willow, moving her to safety. He felt relieved. Kendra made her move, kicking Dru away from Daniel. Xander shot his crossbow, and he managed to hit Spike in the shoulder. Quickly, he moved to load another that Sam handed him.

“Damn it! Not again!” Spike yelled. He yanked out the bolt, and then looked up when Drusilla shrieked as a bolt hit her in the stomach.

She reached out, though, and used her claws to slice Kendra’s throat.

Daniel watched in horror as the slayer fell.

***** _To Be Continued*****_

_I have never been to Japan, but I did research the best places to visit and activities to do. The things mentioned in this chapter are real places. Reviews are the best! Thanks!_   
  



	10. A New Calling

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Faith is called.

_******Sunnydale******_

Daniel couldn’t believe what he was seeing. Dru managed to slice Kendra’s neck, and he ran toward her, hoping to stem the flow of blood.

Spike moved and grabbed Dru as she fell back. “We have to take my star man,” she said.

“Another day, love,” he said, concerned about the wooden bolt in her stomach. He put his arm around her and lifted her up, carrying her away—much to Daniel’s relief.

Xander rushed to Daniel’s side. “Is she okay?” he asked, kneeling.

“No, she’s losing too much blood,” Daniel said. Xander took off his shirt to try to stop the blood while Daniel pulled out his cell to call 911. Sam, Kendra’s watcher, looked down at her in dismay. That couldn’t possibly be his slayer—the young woman who he had raised from a small child—bleeding out on the grass. The horror of it immobilized him.

Willow and Oz came out of the woods to lend aid.

“Oh God!” Willow exclaimed in dismay. “We need to call an ambulance!”

“Daniel’s doing that now,” Xander said. He had never seen so much blood. His shirt was already soaked with her blood. “This isn’t working. I need another shirt!”

Oz quickly gave his own shirt to Xander, who used it to press down on Kendra’s neck. “I think it’s helping. The blood has slowed,” he said.

Daniel looked down at Kendra, his heart breaking. “I think it’s because her heart’s stopped pumping blood,” he said.

“What?” Willow asked. “She’s dead?”

“Keep holding your hand there until the ambulance comes. It’s on its way,” Daniel said. He looked at Sam, who seemed at a loss.

A minute later, they could hear the sirens. Willow clung to Oz as the paramedics took over.

“I’ll drive,” Oz said. They followed them to his van, hoping the medical team could work a miracle.

Daniel, though, had been around death too much to not know the signs. When he looked at Kendra’s watcher, Daniel knew that Sam understood that his slayer was gone.

***** _Boston*****_

Faith Lehane, an attractive mouthy fifteen-year-old girl from south Boston walked in on her mother’s boyfriend, Bill, once again screaming at her. 

“Why can’t you cook a steak right? How hard is it? If I wanted beef jerky, I damn well buy beef jerky!” he yelled.

“The last time, you said it wasn’t done enough,” her mother pointed out.

“How dare you back talk me, you stupid bitch!” Bill said, slapping her mom in the face.

“Hey!” Faith said, interrupting. She started to step forward, and then a way of dizziness hit her.

“Stay out of it unless you want a piece, too,” Bill said, leering at her.

Faith shook off the dizziness as she suddenly felt fine—more than fine. She felt energized. 

“It’s okay, Faith. I’m fine,” her mother said. “I have a plate for you in the microwave.”

“Why are you so late getting home?” Bill asked her.

Faith ignored him and turn on the microwave to heat up her dinner.

When she didn’t respond, he grabbed her shoulder to turn her around. “I’m talking to you,” he said.

“What I do is none of your business, Bill,” Faith said coldly. “You’ve been screwing my mother for two months. That doesn’t make you my father. Touch me again, and I’ll break your hand.”

Bill looked at her mom. “You gonna let her talk to me like that?” he asked.

Faith knew that her mom loved her in her own way, but she loved men and booze more. Determined to ignore him, she grabbed her food from the microwave and brushed passed him. However, he had decided one of them was going to hurt more than the other, so he grabbed her by her hair as she walked past him.

Surprised, Faith dropped her food, her hand instinctively reaching back to her head. When she realized that the asshole had grabbed her, she didn’t think. She just swung her fist connecting with his face.

His scream of pain sent chills through her. When she glanced at him, he was clutching his face.

“Bill, are you okay?” her mother asked in concern.

“No, I’m not! Your daughter broke my damn jaw! Take me to the hospital!” he ordered.

“One hit from a teenage girl broke your jaw?” Faith said with a snicker. “Talk about a glass jaw.”

“Faith!” her mother scolded.

“Sorry,” Faith mumbled. She bent down to pick up the food she had dropped. Then something occurred to her, and she stood up. “Mom, you might want to think twice before you bring Bill back here again because I’m not going to be manhandled anymore, nor am I going to let you be manhandled either.”

Bill began cussing her out, but her mother just grabbed her purse and keys, leading him out of the front door.

Faith grinned, relieved that he was gone. Then she jumped around the room like a boxer, hitting imaginary foe. “Let’s see him try to hit me again. Let’s see any man try to hurt me again. I’ll break _all_ their jaws!” she exclaimed.

She cleaned up the mess and made a sandwich before showering for the night. It wasn’t a surprise that her mother didn’t return home, choosing to play nursemaid to her bully of a boyfriend at his place for the night. Eventually, Faith went to bed.

That’s when the freaky dreams began.

***** _The Next Day*****_

Giles was listening to Daniel’s story, feeling torn. Kendra was dead, and he didn’t know if he should tell Buffy. She had only been in Japan with her father a few days. He had gotten his first post card telling him about what a great time she was having, and he was loathed to spoil her fun in anyway. His slayer needed good memories.

“It was awful, Rupert,” Daniel said. He had waited until morning to call Giles as it was late when they had left the hospital. Kendra’s watcher was so devastated that he was making arrangements to leave with her body that day. The idea of burying her on the hellmouth was abhorrent to him.

“I can imagine,” Giles said. “Colonel O’Neill is still missing, and Buffy is spending time with her dad, which is a much-needed break for her. Do we bother her about this?”

Daniel sighed. “Well, she didn’t really know Kendra, so I suggest you not. The poor girl has been through so much,” he said. “However, I think you and I need to trade places once more. The kids need you to get through this. Not to mention, Drusilla’s obsession with me is starting to terrify me. I can’t help but feel some responsibility for Kendra’s death—it was me they wanted.”

“A vampire doesn’t need a reason to kill a slayer,” Giles pointed out. “You are not to blame. If only Xander had managed to hit the heart.”

“Yes, we’re going to have to work on his training,” Daniel said. “I suggest a regular bow and arrow to work on his hand and eye coordination instead of a crossbow. Not only would it be easier to reload, the hair trigger won’t be a factor.”

“I will see about procuring one,” Giles said. “Buffy is scheduled to return to California in time for the Fourth of July celebrations. Her father agreed that she could spend a few weeks with her friends before returning back to her uncle’s. Of course, he has no idea that the Colonel is missing. We hope he will be back before the school year resumes in the fall. Assuming, he survived the planet’s meteor shower along with Wesley.”

“Yes, let’s hope so,” Daniel said. “What about the new slayer that should’ve been called?”

“I will contact the Watcher’s Council,” Giles said. “We will need to get the new slayer out there as soon as possible. The summers are normally fairly mundane by hellmouth standards. However, if Spike and Drusilla are both there, we will need a slayer to keep a lid on things.”

“When do you think you can be back here?” Daniel said.

“I will make arrangements to be back in Sunnydale in three days,” Giles said. “Can you stay until I return? I would like to discuss things face to face before you leave.”

“I can do that,” Daniel said. “I’m going to cancel all patrols, though.”

“That’s a good idea,” Giles said.

He said goodbye, and Daniel felt better. Watching soldiers die fighting with SG-1 had always been hard. However, they signed up for it, and most were honored to give their life for their country. Watching teenagers—kids—die at the hands of monsters just broke his heart. He admired them so much and had grown to care about each and every one of them, even Kendra with her shy smile and love of old books and history.

Thinking about her life cut down fighting for his own, he cried.

***** _SGC*****_

After Giles got off the phone with Daniel, he went to tell Dr. Carter his grim news.

“This is horrible, Rupert. I’m glad Daniel’s coming home, but I hate that it took the death of a young girl to bring him to his senses,” she said.

“I think Drusilla’s obsession with him has rattled him,” Giles said. “Jenny’s in town this week, so she will help me get my things ready. Will you and she be done with your experiments in three days?”

Sam considered it and nodded. “Yes, I think so. She’s got an idea of how we can use magic to clear the gate on Edora’s side,” she said.

“Really? That’s wonderful news,” Giles said. “She hadn’t mentioned it.”

“We’ve only just begun putting it together. Our biggest concern is causing collateral damage in the blast zone,” Sam said.

“Well, if I recall, the gate was not very close to the settlement,” Giles said.

“That was my thoughts, and I’m beginning to think it’s worth the risk. Jack’s been gone now over a month,” Sam said.

“Yes, it might be better to roll the dice as they say,” Giles said. “I must now go speak with General Hammond.”

“He will hate to see you leave,” Sam said. “However, I know he is happy that you’ve been able to do so much work, especially in Daniel’s absence.”

“It has been quite an experience,” Giles said. “One that I will treasure the rest of my life.” 

When he told General Hammond what had happened to the slayer guarding the hellmouth, Hammond looked grim.

“This is horrible news,” Hammond said. Another young girl cut down before her time fighting monsters. It wasn’t right, and it didn’t sit well with him at all. “She needed more support.”

“Unfortunately, Kendra was Council raised and not that open to much help. She had only recently begun allowing the others to follow her with crossbows,” Dr. Giles said.

“That is unacceptable!” Hammond said, slamming his hand down on the desk. “I don’t care what those British nitwits say—no offense—we do not allow children to fight demonic forces without help. No matter how much better suited they are for the task. It’s not decent!”

“I agree,” Giles said.

Hammond stood, still worked up. “This is America. We treat our children better! There’s none of that ‘Children are seen and not heard’ crap the Brits were famous for. We treasure our youth because they are the future of this country! We don’t let them be slaughtered fighting monsters when we have enlisted soldiers who sign up to give their life for their country,” he fumed. He walked to the doorway and stopped an Airman, who happened to be passing by. “Jenkins, tell me your thoughts.”

“Sir?” his soldier said, confused.

“If I told you that teenagers in this country were nightly fighting monsters on your behalf, even dying for this country while you were asleep in your bed, how would you feel about that, soldier?” Hammond asked.

“Why, I’d feel sick to my stomach. Angry, sir,” Jenkins said, frowning. “That’s not happening, is it?”

“It won’t be much longer. Not if I can help it. Dismissed,” he said. Then he turned back to Giles and sat back at his desk and opened a folder. “I hope the soldiers you’ve been working with are ready for deployment. The NID recently submitted a plan to infiltrate the university at the edge of Sunnydale, having soldiers pose as college students—even have their own fraternity house. They want to capture, contain, and study the subterrestrials on the hellmouth. A civilian consultant by the name of Dr. Maggie Walsh has been tapped to lead the teams.”

“I hope you aren’t considering that,” Giles said.

“I like the idea of a team on the college campus,” Hammond said. “We can’t have all the guys at the high school. I was thinking of having Lieutenant Joe Anderson start an ROTC program at your high school. That would give a legitimate reason for soldiers to be at your school.”

“That’s actually a fine idea,” Giles said. “The principal is a troll of a man, but he is always going on about discipline. He might actually be supportive of it.”

“Anderson will contact him immediately to set it up,” Hammond said. “There will be no capturing. No scientist to study or do experiments on the demon population. I have already made that clear to the NID, and the President has backed me up on that. The Watcher’s Council has already contacted him about your work with us. The President agreed that you will be solely in charge in Sunnydale. The soldiers will take orders from your slayers in the field, but normally, you will be the one to deal directly with them as they are underage. Although your team has met Buffy, they haven’t yet been briefed on what she is.”

“No,” Giles said.

“You can do that once you get them to Sunnydale or before. I’ll leave that up to you,” Hammond said. “I will speak to Chronister about setting up a team at the university, especially since it’s on the opposite side of town. We can keep them there as a base—a frat house is a good a cover as any. The soldiers that can’t pass for students, will work at the high school with Anderson.”

“That sounds like a solid plan,” Giles said, impressed. He hadn’t believed things would fall together so quickly or that the military could put things in motion so quickly.

“The best way to finish the training of the men is to give them experience on the hellmouth,” Hammond said. “

Giles knew that he had a point and felt relieved that the SGC had such a commander like Hammond.

He spoke first to Jenny, giving her the bad news about Kendra and the new change of plans. Then he went and spoke to his team.

“In three days, I will be going back home to Sunnydale, California,” he told them. “One of my students has been killed by a vampire.” He paused as they reacted to the news. Calls of sympathy and dismay were given, and he waved them down. “General Hammond feels that now is the time to relocate you to the hellmouth, so you can experience the things I have been teaching you about firsthand.”

“You mean, this isn’t just some elaborate joke that O’Neill made up?” Eli asked. He and a few of the guys weren’t entirely convinced that the talk of demons was real. Of course, the rest of the guys argued they wouldn’t bring in a British consultant if it was a prank, but Eli was still a bit skeptical.

“I know a few of you have not been completely sure, but I appreciate your commitment to your studies anyway,” Giles said. “This is not the Colonel’s latest lark. This is real. Sunnydale, California really is on a hellmouth, which is a doorway to a hell dimension. Its mystical energy draws all manner of demonic creatures to it.”

“How has it been contained so long?” one of them asked.

Since they already knew the world was older and demons were real, he said, “Because of the vampire slayer. The vampire slayer is empowered with the essence of a demon, given super strength, accelerated healing, and superb fighting ability to match the vampire and demon. The slayer dies and another is called instantly to take that slayers place.”

“No shit?”

“I’m very serious,” Giles said. “My actual job in America is to train the slayer. There are a group of men in Great Britain that formed what is called the Watcher’s Council. They have resources to aid in the training of the slayer. Most importantly, they train the watchers, who train the slayer.”

“So, this slayer is like a super soldier of some kind?”

“Exactly,” Giles said. He could see just knowing there was someone with experience and power to fight monsters reassured them. Should he tell them who the slayer was? He didn’t want them having unrealistic expectations.

“There’s only one slayer at a time?”

“That is the way it has been for generations,” he said. “It is always one young girl, called at age fourteen or fifteen.” He decided to drop the bomb—it was a bomb. Several of them were on their feet.

“What?”

“That’s insane!”

“No fucking way!”

“You gotta be kiddin’!”

“Who’s messed up idea was that?”

“If you will sit down, I will explain,” he said. “I am unsure who decided that the slayer had to be a young girl. I have often speculated it is because for many, many years girls were disposable.” The men looked angry and disgusted. “I know—it’s barbaric. But it’s the system we have. We don’t call the slayers—it’s ancient magic well beyond us. Most slayers only last a year or two. Normally, they are identified as potentials and raised by the council, away from their families. However, my slayer was not. She was an American, born and raised in California. She was unusually gifted—fought and killed her first master vampire when she was just fifteen in Los Angeles. However, he killed her first Watcher. I am her second. I got a job, posing as her high school librarian when she moved to Sunnydale.”

He saw that one or two of them begin to piece a few things together as it was just too coincidental. However, they remained silent, waiting for him to finish his story.

“Unlike council trained slayers, my slayer didn’t follow the rules very much. She had friends who insisted on helping her fight the vampires,” he said.

“So just regular teenagers—untrained civilians?” Jorge asked.

Giles nodded. “I’m afraid so. They mostly stayed out of direct conflict. One of them—Willow—is brilliant with computers. She would use the computer to find out if any suspicious deaths would indicate a vampire rising. One of her best friends, Xander, often follows with a crossbow. During her first year, it was prophesied that my slayer would die at the hand of the Master of Aurelius. He bit her and threw her unconscious in a pool of water. Xander, though, went after her. He performed CPR and brought her back from the dead. She was dead long enough, however, to call a second slayer. For the first time in recorded history, there are two active slayers.”

“Wow!”

“That poor girl.”

“Kids shouldn’t have to fight monsters,” another muttered in disgust.

Giles knew how soldiers were hardwired to protect, and when they discovered that O’Neill’s niece was the slayer, they would go insane. However, he decided it would be better for them to process it now before they arrived at the hellmouth.

“Luckily, my slayer survived and was able to defeat yet another master vampire. However, one of his lieutenants, Angelus—”

“Oh, I read about him. The Scourge of Europe!”

“Yes,” Giles said. “Angelus wasn’t like most vampires. He enjoys making his victims suffer mentally as well as physically before he goes in for his kill. His favored companions, Drusilla and William the Bloody, are also at the hellmouth. Drusilla, Angelus turned only after slaughtering her entire family and driving her insane. Therefore, she is a particularly nasty and unpredictable vampire.”

“They are in Sunnydale?” Eli asked, looking nervous.

“I would not be too worried about them,” Giles said. “Angelus is dead.”

“Really?” Eli asked.

“He killed the slayer’s mother, so the slayer killed him,” Giles said.

Finally, a soldier couldn’t be quiet any longer. “It’s Buffy, isn’t it? Buffy is the slayer.”

The other soldiers looked shocked. A few had already pieced it together and looked angry and disgusted.

Giles nodded. “Yes, Buffy is my slayer,” he said.

There was complete silence for a full minute. Then they all started talking at once.

“O’Neill must be going nuts. That was his sister!”

“A vampire killed the Colonel’s sister?”

“That tiny thing can kick my ass?”

“I’ve seen her spar with Teal’c.”

“This is some messed up shit.”

The comments went on for a few minutes, and Giles just let them go. He knew this was upsetting. They all admired Jack immensely. To know his niece was an even greater hero than Jack astounded them.

“How many times has she saved the world?”

“A few,” Giles said. “If you’re done processing, I have more news.” They all stopped talking and looked at him expectantly. “I said that I had a student die, so I needed to go back to the hellmouth. Her name was Kendra, and she was the second slayer. She was council-raised, and she didn’t even last six months. Drusilla killed her.”

“The hellmouth is a bad place, isn’t it?” Eli asked.

“It is the worse place on Earth,” Giles said. “It is more dangerous than any mission you could go on through the Stargate, and it’s understandable if you would choose not to take this assignment. If you asked General Hammond for another assignment, he would give it to you.”

“But what kind of soldier would we be if we didn’t do what teenagers without our training are currently doing?” Eli pointed.

Giles nodded. “That would be up to you to decide,” he said.

“How many teenagers do you have helping fight that aren’t superpowered?” Luke asked.

“Besides Willow and Xander, who have been helping the longest, there are Cordelia and Oz. Cordelia is Xander’s girlfriend. She mostly just helps with research and gets kidnapped a lot it seems. Oz is a werewolf, so he’s locked up on the full moon,” Giles said. 

“Four? The slayer has exactly four regular teenagers and you as her back up? That’s just not right,” Jayden said.

“Well, you would be surprised at what a slayer can do,” Giles said. “However, the hellmouth in California is particularly deadly. It attracts all manner of monsters.”

“Now that the Kendra slayer is dead will Buffy return to the hellmouth?” another asked.

“I do not know,” Giles said. “Losing her mother devastated her. Her father doesn’t know she is the slayer. Her mother didn’t know, and it got her killed. She unknowingly invited Angelus into her home, not knowing what he was. The new slayer, most likely will be sent to Sunnydale.”

“If the place is that dangerous, maybe two slayers should be there,” Eli said.

“Maybe,” Giles said. “Summertime, though, is slow. It’ll be a good time for you to get your feet wet. You should be getting your orders in the next day or two. I will be leaving in three days. I have many things to attend to, so you are dismissed. Remember, however, not to spread around what we speak of in here. What you learned about Colonel O’Neill’s niece is highly classified.”

“Don’t worry. No one wants to go pissing that man off—he’s scary when he’s angry!”

“So am I,” Giles said, flashing a very Ripper look that they had yet to see.

A few of his soldiers gave him a wary look as he left to begin finalizing his plans.

More than a few of them stayed behind trying to piece together what they knew of Buffy Summers, looking for signs that she was a mystically empowered super soldier. Others wondered just what exactly they had signed up for.

***** _Chapter End*****_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you like the back story I created for Faith. I tried to create something probable yet a bit original and something I've not written for her before.


	11. Things Change

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> According to Buffywiki, nothing is really known about Faith’s watcher, not even her name. All we know is how she died, and Faith cared about her. From that we can glean, she was a good Watcher as Faith wasn’t easy to get close to. I am creating a Watcher for her based on a former teacher/mentor of mine that I admire. Also, I am writing Faith as a year younger than Buffy even as I’ve been told she is younger, and I’ve been told she is older. During the show, her age was never said in ANY actual episode, but it seemed obvious she was older. Allowing her not to go to school and live in the hotel if she was 17 and not 18 would have been very irresponsible of Wesley, and he struck me as being by the rules. For this story, though, I wanted her to be a year younger than Buffy, who is 17 in this story. There is a debate on Buffyfandomwiki about one of the books published that place her age the same as Buffy’s but a month older as her birthday is in December. There’s clearly a flaw in the writing as my above argument holds true, BUT the barbaric test for 18-year-old slayers didn’t occur with Faith on screen.I think creative license is free to make her whatever age you want.

_******Boston*****_

It had been three days since Faith had got into it with her mother’s boyfriend. Her mother had returned yesterday, and Faith could tell that things were broken between her and her mother. It both pissed her off and broke something inside of her. Why couldn’t her mother love her more than these men? Faith had gotten rid of her virginity the summer before because she wanted to know what the big deal was. Her mom seemed to prize sexual relationships above her, so Faith had needed to know what she was missing. Turns out, not much. It had been her fifteenth birthday, and her mother had been too drunk to remember. Feeling depressed, she’d allowed the neighbor’s seventeen-year-old son to deflower her. He was cute, but he wasn’t experienced either.

What would she do if her mom decided she was old enough to fend for herself? She was sixteen, so she probably could get a job. But Boston was an expensive city, and no job given to teenagers would be enough for her to support herself—at least not one that was legal. Her father was out hiding from the Irish mob he currently owed money to again, and unlike the stereotypes, they didn’t have this extended Irish Catholic family she could turn to for help. Her parents had alienated most of the relatives before she started kindergarten.

When she opened up the kitchen cabinet to get a snack, it came off the hinge.

“What the hell?” she exclaimed.

“What’s going on?” her mother asked, coming into the room. She had a drink in her hand, and it wasn’t yet four o’clock—never a good sign.

“I don’t know. I just opened the cabinet, and it fell apart,” she said. This was the third thing, however, she’d broken in the house in the past three days. It seemed like she was suddenly much stronger than she used to be, and doors didn’t hold up well.

“Is that what happened to the bathroom door, too?” her mom asked.

“I don’t know, Mom. Something’s going on with me,” Faith admitted. “I suddenly seem abnormally strong. Like I barely touch something, and it falls part. That’s all. I’m not slamming things. Just now I was _opening_ the door, and it came off the hinge.”

“I can’t take this, Faith. You’re hurting my boyfriend. You’re breaking things. I don’t have money to be fixing stuff around here,” she said.

“I can get a job,” Faith said quickly. There was a knock on the door, so she moved to open it. A woman she had never seen before was there. The woman was extremely tall and statuesque—around six feet with very short pale red hair. Her age was at least over fifty.

“Hello,” she said in a British accent. “Are you Faith?”

Faith nodded. “I am. What do you want?” she asked.

“I was hoping I might speak with you and your parents,” she said. She handed Faith a card.

_Glenda Humfleet, Senior Watcher, Watcher’s Council, London, England_

“What the hell is a watcher? What are you watching?” Faith asked.

“Who is it?” her mother asked, coming to the door.

“This British lady would like to speak to us,” Faith said, handing her mom the card.

“Well, I’ve never met anyone from this organization, but you can come in,” she said, gesturing.

Her mother led them to the kitchen table as their apartment opened into the dining room. “Would you like something to drink?” she asked politely.

“No, thank you,” Glenda said.

Faith thought the woman seemed nice enough, and her accent was kind of cool. Her size, though, was much larger than most British women. “I’ve not met many Brits,” Faith said. “But I don’t think the women got as tall as you.”

Glenda smiled in amusement. “Well, I have some Norwegian in me, and my mother actually came from America. She was a member of the Chickasaw Nation, a Native American tribe from Oklahoma. Of course, she was only a quarter Indian,” she shared.

“That’s pretty cool,” Faith said, smiling at her.

“Your daughter is quite beautiful,” Glenda said to her mother. “I am here because she has been called. The world is much older than you know.”

They listened to the British lady without interrupting. Faith wasn’t sure if her mother was too stunned or too intimidated by her accent and size to throw her out for her insane talk. When Glenda stopped speaking, though, her mother started laughing.

Faith, however, was shaken to her core. She’d been having nightmares about fighting monsters, and in her dreams, she saw faces of women fighting them.

“This is ridiculous. Faith chosen? She can’t even pass her math class,” her mother said. “I’m not sure what kind of sex slave trade you have going on, but we’re not buying this.”

“I assure you, ma’am, I am not in the sex slave trade,” she said, her lips curled in disdain. “Faith, have you had the dreams?”

Faith nodded. “I’ve been dreaming of women fighting monsters,” she said. “I thought it was just nightmares.”

“Did you suddenly begin to have energy three days ago?”

Faith nodded again. “Yes, that’s when it happened,” she said, glancing at her mother.

“Did you find yourself suddenly stronger, too?” she asked.

Again, Faith nodded. “Yes,” she said. “I hit my mom’s boyfriend and broke his jaw. Things I barely touch keep breaking apart on me.”

Glenda opened up her brief case and handed her mother a crowbar. “Do you think you could bend this?” she asked.

Faith’s mom gave her an incredulous look. “Now, I know you’re nuts. Of course not!” she said, handing it back to Glenda.

Glenda gave it to Faith. “Faith, will you please bend this for me,” she said.

Faith shrugged, not sure she could, but what was the harm? The crowbar felt heavy and very real, but she tried to bend it. Surprisingly, it was super easy—like it was made of plastic instead of thick metal. Her eyes got wide in shock. “How did I do that?” she asked.

“You have superstrength,” Glenda said. “You also have instinctive fighting abilities and accelerated healing. Slayers are built to fight vampires and demons, and you must start your training immediately. The hellmouth is now unguarded as Buffy, the original slayer is in Japan currently visiting her father. Her mother was murdered by a Master vampire in February, and she is not yet willing to return to full time duty. The task will now fall to you. Without a slayer guarding the hellmouth, Earth can be overrun with demons as so many of them seek to open it.”

Faith’s stomach clenched in fear, and her mother stood up. “This is insane! I’m not sure what’s happening with Faith, but she will not be fighting demons and monsters. I’m not going to be murdered by a vampire!” she said. “You need to leave.”

“I am sorry to upset you, ma’am, but this is very true,” Glenda said calmly. “Now that she has been called, she will attract the supernatural. The only way to keep you safe is to let me train her. Let me take her with me. I promise you to do my utmost to keep her safe.”

“What about school?” her mother asked, clearly started to be see advantages to her own well-being if Faith left.

“I will make sure her education continues,” Glenda said.

Faith knew things at home weren’t going to go on well for long, and this seemed like an opportunity for her. It would at least get her out of Boston. “Where’s this hellmouth?” she asked.

“Sunnydale, California,” Glenda said.

Faith grinned. “California? We’re going to California were there’s no snow?” she asked.

Glenda smiled. “I believe Southern California is known for sunny weather,” she said. 

Faith got up. “Well, I’ll go pack,” she said. “Mom, this will be a good thing for both of us.”

“Are you sure?” her mother asked.

Faith nodded. “Positive,” she said. She left to get her stuff, eager to start her new life while her mother tried to understand what was happening. She glanced at the British lady in trepidation.

Glenda pulled out another document and handed it to her. “I will need you to sign power of attorney and custody of Faith to me,” she said. “This will allow me to take her to the doctor if she has need, and it will allow me to enroll her into school.”

Mary Lehane seemed like she was in a daze as she signed the papers. She knew her lover would be happy about Faith’s absence, but this seemed wrong somehow.

“You will take care of her?” she asked before letting go of the papers.

“I will do the utmost to guide her and care for her—I give you my word,” Glenda assured her.

Faith came down with a backpack and a laundry basket full of clothes. “I don’t really have a suitcase,” she said, embarrassed.

“That is fine,” Glenda said. 

Faith put the basket on the table and looked at her mother. This was really happening—she was leaving home before her mother threw her out. She still felt sad, though. Her mom wasn’t the best mom, but she tried, which was more than her dad did.

“Well, Mom, I’ll call you,” she said.

“Please do. Be careful,” she said.

Faith hugged her mom carefully. “I love you,” she whispered.

Her mom pulled back and looked at her. “I’m sorry, Faith, that I wasn’t a better mother, but I do love you,” she said.

Faith wanted to cry. Now that she was leaving her mother finally says that she loves her. How screwed up was that?

But she turned and grabbed her clothes basket after swinging the backpack over her left shoulder. “I’m ready,” she said to Glenda.

When they went outside, a black Bentley was waiting for them. “Is this your car?” Faith asked.

Glenda shook her head. “No. It’s just a car service I hired while I’m in town,” she said. “I do not know the area.”

When they got into the car, Faith asked, “So are we going to California now?”

“We will in a week,” Glenda said. “Today, we will fly to my mother’s family in Oklahoma. They have a private ranch. There, I will start your training as we don’t want you going to the hellmouth without some training. I would like to spend more time training you, but the two vampires who killed your predecessor are still there.”

“How can I stand up any better than the other girl who died?” Faith asked, feeling scared and nervous.

“Kendra was council raised, and there are factions now in the council that believe slayers who are council raised do not fare well on hellmouths as they do not have the imagination or flexibility to handle the level of threat the hellmouth poses,” she said.

“What does that mean? Council raised?” Faith asked.

“Normally, a potential slayer is identified as a child and removed from their family and raised by a watcher,” she said. “They are either called, or they choose to become watchers themselves. I myself was once a potential.”

Faith grinned. “I can totally see that,” she said.

“Buffy Summers, like yourself, was not council raised. She was called two years ago in Los Angeles,” Glenda said. “Her first watcher was killed by the first Master vampire she faced in just the first few months she was called. However, she still managed to defeat him and saved her classmates. Unfortunately, the school suspended her for burning down the gym where the vampires had attacked in high numbers during a school dance.”

“Seriously?” Faith asked in awe.

“The watchers keep extensive journals, and although Merrick, her watcher died, his journals were found and archived for us to study and learn from,” she said. “Buffy was naturally a gifted athlete having done both ice skating and cheerleading, but her ability to fight vampires while outnumbered was most impressive. Her parents’ marriage, however, did not survive her calling. We arranged for her mother to work in Sunnydale. Buffy’s second watcher, Rupert Giles, reported that Buffy allows others to help her in her fight, which flies in the face of tradition. Dr. Giles has created quite a bit of controversy back home at his unorthodox approach to his slayer.”

“He sounds like a cool dude,” Faith said.

“He comes from a long line of watchers, and his mother’s connections keeps him out of trouble,” Glenda said. “I am a decade older than he, so we have not spent much time together. I was friends with his older sister, however.”

“How are there two slayers now?” Faith asked.

“Last year, Buffy faced another Master vampire, who sought to open the hellmouth. It was prophesied that he would kill her,” Glenda said. “Even though she was only sixteen, she fought him. He did defeat her and left her for dead in a fountain. One of her friends, however, followed after her and gave her CPR. She was dead long enough, though, for another slayer to be called. For the first time in history, there are two active slayers.”

“Damn,” Faith said. “What happened to her after that? Did the new slayer go to Sunnydale and help her?”

“No. If Kendra had been sent there to fight with her, I suspect her mother would not have been killed and Kendra herself would still be alive,” Glenda said. “That is why the council now wants you and Buffy to both guard the hellmouth. Buffy will be made to return to Sunnydale when classes resume in the fall.”

“So I won’t have to fight alone?” Faith asked, feeling better knowing that.

“Not for long,” she said. “Dr. Giles has assured me that Sunnydale is fairly quiet in the summer, so you should be fine. It will give you a few weeks to learn the town before classes start and Buffy returns. Also, you will have some help as he has a team that he has trained to help fight, not to mention there will be a few your own age you can work with that will know who you are. I am determined that we not make the same mistake that Sam, Kendra’s watcher, did.”

“That’s good,” Faith said.

The car stopped, and she looked out the window. They were at the airport. “We’re flying now?” she asked in surprise.

“Our flight is at seven,” Glenda said. “We will go through security, and then we will have time for dinner before our flight. The airport also has stores, so I can purchase you a bag for your clothes. I doubt security will allow your basket. Everyone needs a good piece of luggage anyway.”

“You know I don’t have any money or anything,” Faith said, feeling embarrassed.

“That is quite all right,” Glenda said. “The council pays for all our needs, and my family is what you Americans call _loaded_.”

Faith grinned. Her watcher was cool as shit.

_******Senate Appropriations Committee Meeting, D.C.****_

Robert Kinsey glared at Richard Woolsey, the NID representative who only had bad news to impart. “So you are telling me that General Hammond has managed to thwart my every move?” he asked.

Woolsey pushed up his glasses. “He has the Watcher’s Council and the Prime Minister’s weight behind Dr. Giles,” Woolsey said. “The hellmouth is the jurisdiction of the slayer, who is under the command of her Watcher.”

“Colonel O’Neill’s niece is a weapon, and that weapon is beyond our reach—it is unacceptable,” Kinsey said.

“Her mother was brutally murdered, and the girl herself has died once already,” Woolsey said. “No soldier would be expected to continue to fight, and yet she does continue to fight.”

“Will she be brought back to the hellmouth or used as an asset for the SGC?” Kinsey asked.

“She is underage, and the President does not want her to be used until she is at least eighteen,” Woolsey said.

“You have seen Walsh’s plans. We can harness the powers of these subterrestrials,” Kinsey said. “We do not have to be limited by the stargate when we have an entire war going on right under our noses.”

“Walsh’s plans cannot continue in Sunnydale,” Woolsey said. “She will have to find another place to do her research.”

“Are there other places like Sunnydale?” Kinsey asked.

“We’ve been told that there’s a few across the world but only one other in America, and it’s in Ohio,” Woolsey said.

“Well, then send her and her team there,” Kinsey said. “Our relationship with the slayer and this British council is too new to risk, so we will let Hammond have this one.”

“Wise decision,” Woolsey said. “Our reports, though, have said that the new slayer called in Buffy’s place to take over Sunnydale has already been killed.”

The committee members murmured in dismay.

“Isn’t Dr. Jackson there in Sunnydale?” someone asked.

“Yes, for a time,” Woolsey said. “It seems the vampire who killed the slayer wanted to make Dr. Jackson a vampire, and she wouldn’t let them take him.”

“He is always getting kidnapped,” another said with a snicker.

“I don’t see how General Hammond has allowed an asset like Dr. Jackson to leave the SGC,” another said.

“No one really believes he will stay gone permanently,” Woolsey said. “In fact, he is already on his way back to Colorado.”

“Has he rejoined SG-1?” Kinsey asked.

“Not yet since Colonel O’Neill has not returned from his last mission,” Woolsey said.

“He is most likely dead,” Kinsey said.

“I would not underestimate Colonel O’Neill,” Woolsey said.

It would make things so much easier if O’Neill never came back, but Kinsey knew the man had more lives than a cat.

****** _Edora******_

Jack had been away from Buffy now two full months, and he was going nuts. When villagers came running to him, yelling there was a hole on top of the mound where the stargate used to be, he followed them back to it.

When he saw Teal’c, relief filled him. “You are a sight for sore eyes!” he exclaimed, moving to embrace his friend.

“It is good to see you, O’Neill,” Teal’c said, smiling at him. 

“How the hell did you get the mountain clear?” Jack asked.

“Dr. Carter allowed Dr. Giles technopagan girlfriend, Jenny Calendar, to clear the area using science and magic,” Teal’c said.

“Seriously?” Jack asked in surprise.

“Indeed,” Teal’c said.

“How is Buffy?” Jack asked.

“She is in Japan with her father,” Teal’c said. “She is most unhappy that you did not return with us.”

Jack grinned. “I bet she was,” he said. “I miss her like crazy.”

Wesley came up to them. “Teal’c is here. Are we rescued?” he asked.

“We are,” Jack said. “Are you ready to go home?”

“I am,” Wesley said. “Although I feel like I am abandoning some very good friends we have made.”

“I know,” Jack said. “Now that the gate is working, we can return.”

Wesley went to spread the word, and it was a very forlorn group that gathered an hour later to send them off. Jack’s eyebrow went up in surprise when Wes kissed the lovely village leader goodbye, but he refrained from commenting.

“Thank you all,” Jack said.

“We thank you. I’m not sure we would’ve survived without your help,” Laira said.

“Your people we took to Earth will be returned to you very soon,” Jack told her. He shook her hand, and then he turned to Teal’c. “Lead the way, old buddy.”

When they stepped back into SGC, a cheer went up. Jack was glad to see Daniel there and hugged him. “You’re back,” he said.

“It’s a long story,” Daniel said, looking somber.

“Good to see you, sir,” Sam said, smiling. “You won’t believe how Jenny and I did it.”

Jack held up his hand. “Don’t want to know,” he said. “Just grateful you did.” He shook Jenny’s hand, thanking her and did the same with Rupert.

“Good to have you back,” Rupert said. “It’s just in time as I am leaving in an hour.”

“Back to Sunnydale?” Jack asked.

“It’s time,” Rupert said.

“Colonel, you and Mr. Wyndam-Price can go report to medical,” Hammond said. “We will get your briefing in one hour.”

“Very well,” Jack said, grimacing. He looked at Giles. “I guess Danny will have to get me up to speed.”

“I will call you,” Giles said. 

Later, Jack gave his report, and then Daniel gave him the bad news about Kendra and how Buffy didn’t know yet.

“Damn it!” Jack exclaimed, hitting the table with his fist.

“I have ordered Dr. Giles to send his team to Sunnydale to complete their training,” Hammond said. “I cannot abide the thought of children dying while soldiers are not there to defend them.”

Jack nodded in understanding. “I think that’s a good idea,” he said.

“Jack, Rupert says that the council thinks the hellmouth is too dangerous for only one slayer guarding it,” Daniel said. “It’s essentially killed two slayers in two years as Buffy did die her first year. After the new slayer gains some experience and the joint effort with the military shows fruit, they may be willing to allow her to leave after graduation.”

Jack glared. “Oh, they may _allow_ her? She is an American citizen, and they can’t order her around!” he exclaimed. “If she doesn’t want to go back to Sunnydale, no one will force her! I will go to England and tell them that myself if I have to!”

“I am in complete agreement,” Hammond said. “So is the President. Buffy has been through too much to be made to go where she does not want to go.”

Jack was glad to hear that. “Can I have a week before reporting to duty? I’d like to go to Japan and see her,” he said. “Tell her about Kendra in person.”

Hammond nodded. “I think that can be arranged,” he said.

Daniel’s eyes lit up. “Oh, can I go? I’ve never been to Japan. They have such history!” he exclaimed.

As Jack had missed his best friend quite a lot, he agreed.

***** _Japan*****_

Buffy had been in Japan nearly a month when she finally got the call that Jack had made it back home. When she heard he was flying into Japan to see her, she told her Dad.

“Why do I have a feeling you’re not telling me everything?” Hank asked.

“Well, he was sort of missing on his last mission,” Buffy said. “He got lost in some third world country after his phone died. Then natives kidnapped him. They were confident that he was okay as it wasn’t hostile territory, but I was really worried.”

“Why didn’t you say anything?” Hank asked.

“I just didn’t want to think about it,” Buffy said. “I figured if I talked about it with you, I would just get upset and worry too much.”

“Well, I’m glad he’s okay,” Hank said. “He’s secured a hotel?”

“Yes, he’s coming with his best friend, Dr. Daniel Jackson. Daniel’s a big history nerd, and he’s super excited to visit the ancient places,” Buffy said.

“Now that you’re practically an expert, you can show them around,” Hank said, giving her a proud smile. She had become very comfortable in Japan, and the two of them had managed to erase the gulf his absence had caused. It was going to be hard to see her go back to the states. “I would like to take them to dinner once, though.”

Buffy nodded and kept watching the clock until it was time to go meet them at the airport. 

Jack spotted his niece right away as they got through security, and she jumped into his arms, hugging him tightly.

“Careful. Old bones,” he warned her.

“Sorry,” she said, giving him a sheepish grin. “Hey, Daniel.”

Daniel hugged her. “Good to see you, Buffy. You’re looking good. I like the new haircut,” he said.

“You got your hair cut?” Jack asked, looking at her.

Buffy rolled her eyes, giggling. “How can you be a colonel in the Air Force, Uncle Jack? I got a totally pixie doo! Not as short as Sam’s but much shorter than it was!” she said. “Japan is so cool. These are my people!”

“Why? ‘Cause they’re all short?” Jack said with a snicker.

“Yep!” Buffy said with a happy grin. “The food is awesome, too. So many cool things to do and see. How long can you stay?”

“We got five days,” Jack said.

“Really?” her eyes lit up. “That’s great! Dad wants to take you to dinner tonight, but then I can show you all the best spots. I’ve seen pretty much all the best places to see.”

Jack kept his arm around her. “Man, did I miss you,” he said.

“I can’t believe you let yourself get stranded like that!” she said, frowning up at him.

“I made it back in one piece,” he said. “And Sam got to blend science with magic, so it’s a win.”

“Really? You’ll have to tell me about that,” she said.

“Nope. I didn’t want any details, so Danny will have to tell you,” he said. “I just know she was super excited, and nothing got broken and no one was hurt—a win. My new nerd came back in one piece.”

“You mean hyphenated guy?” Buffy asked, grinning.

“Actually, Wes turned out to be a great fit,” Jack said. “He not only is as smart as Danny here, he’s a crack shot with a gun, and he did most of the hunting for us.”

“Impressive,” Buffy said. She grinned, noticing that Daniel was frowning. “Don’t worry, Daniel, I’m sure you are still his favorite nerd.”

“Of course, he is,” Jack said.

Daniel rolled his eyes but was smiling. “I’m glad we have a recruit that’s going to cut it. It’s not easy finding good ones,” he said.

“No, it’s not,” Jack said.

The three of them caught up on the ride to the hotel. Buffy told them about the sights she’d seen and how things had been with her and her dad while Daniel shared that he’d left Sunnydale after Drusilla had become obsessed with him.

Buffy had grimaced. “You know Angel always felt so guilty for what he did to her—or rather what Angelus had done to her. It’s why he couldn’t bring himself to kill her,” she said.

Daniel caught Jack’s warning look. They’d agreed to wait a few days before telling her about Kendra.

“I’m just glad Danny’s come to his senses and joined me back home,” Jack said. 

“Did everyone get my post cards?” Buffy asked.

Daniel nodded. “Yes. Willow was very excited about hers, and Xander says he’ll never forgive you if you don’t go watch a robot fight and bring him back an authentic samurai sword,” Daniel said. “I told him that those are very expensive.”

“Actually, they aren’t,” Buffy said. “I found this street vendor that sells knock off for tourists. I bought one for him and Oz already. He can’t take it slaying or anything, but it he will still look cool on his dresser.”

Jack laughed. “That’s a good idea,” he said.

“But I’m going to get Giles a real one before I leave,” she said.

“How about you let me pay for it?” Jack said. “Danny can buy himself one, and I’ll buy one for Rupert.”

“Don’t forget Sam. She’s a warrior woman, and she probably likes shiny weapons, too,” Buffy said. “I’d really love some Japanese weapons myself, but Dad would freak.”

“You can’t fly weapons out of here, but you can mail it,” Jack said. “That’s the trick.”

It was great being back with her uncle, and the trio had a grand time seeing the sites. They did check out a robot battle—much to Jack’s amusement. Jack was even very nice to Hank at their dinner together, asking if Buffy could return back to the states with him in five days.

“Buffy told me you were MIA for a while there,” Hank said. “I’m glad you weren’t hurt.”

Jack glanced at his sneaky niece in surprise. “Yes, well, it was a crazy situation, and I’m glad there wasn’t any bad guys nearby,” he said.

“With so much technology out there, we sometimes forget that there are still remote places on Earth,” Hank said. 

“So true,” Jack said. “Buffy tells me that she’s been having a great time here.”

“Yes, I knew she would,” Hank said, smiling at her. “This time together has been great. I wish that she’d spend her last year of school here with me, but I understand how important senior year is. She promises to come back two weeks for Christmas, and I’m going to fly to her for Thanksgiving. She’s going to come here for Spring break. Then I’ll be back in the states in time to watch her graduate and pick a college.”

Jack smiled, glad to see him stepping up. “That’s great,” he said.

“If you want to leave with your uncle, sweetie, that’s fine with me,” he said. “It’s only a few days sooner than you’d planned on leaving anyway.”

They spent the next day seeing the places Buffy had seen her first few days, and then they went looking at weapons. She fell in love with a Sai dagger and a katana sword, and when she couldn’t decide between them, Jack bought both.

“It’s my prerogative to spoil you,” Jack said.

“The ninja short swords, though, are awesome,” Buffy said. “We should get those for Giles, and then I can borrow them!”

Jack laughed, enjoying her cleverness. “Actually, I think Sam would appreciate them,” Jack said.

“I agree,” Daniel said. “Teal’c would love these staff weapons.”

Jack knew he was right, and he dropped several hundred dollars in the store buying blades. It was rare for him or Daniel to spend their salaries, and they enjoyed indulging themselves and Buffy.

After his third day in town, Buffy met them at their hotel the fourth morning. Jack decided that Daniel would tell her what happened to Kendra.

No surprise, Buffy was horrified. “Why didn’t you tell me sooner?” she asked Daniel, upset.

“You deserve a break,” Daniel said. “Rupert decided to wait, and I agreed with him.”

“It’s the same reason I waited a few days to break the bad news,” Jack said. “She’s dead either way. A new slayer’s been called.”

“God,” Buffy said, standing and pacing. “This is my fault! I shouldn’t have left.”

“That’s not true. You might be the one dead now,” Jack said.

“Buffy, I was there,” Daniel said. “Kendra was a bright, earnest and committed slayer, but she didn’t listen to me. I told her we needed to make a plan that didn’t involve rushing in and confronting Spike and Drusilla. She didn’t want to use the team. She was arrogant, and her arrogance contributed to her death. It’s not your fault.”

“It’s not Kendra’s either,” Jack said. “This entire situation is FUBAR. Kids shouldn’t be doing such horrible things to begin with, and if I could change things, I’d do it in a heartbeat.”

“I need to speak to Giles,” Buffy said. “What time is it for him?”

Daniel looked at his watch. “California is sixteen hours behind, so you’re good to call. It’s a bit after seven in the evening,” he said.

“You can use the phone here. It will be charged to my room,” Jack said. “Do you know how to dial internationally?”

Buffy nodded. “I’ve called Willow and him once already,” she said. She went and made her call.

Daniel looked at Jack. “That could’ve been worse,” he said.

“She’s a tough kid,” he said. He just hated that she had to be so strong. The reason why she was able to take each blow so well just pissed Jack off.

When Buffy got off the phone, she looked grim. “What’s wrong?” Jack asked.

“Giles said that the council has ordered me back to Sunnydale. They don’t think a new slayer can handle a hellmouth alone,” Buffy said.

“The President has made it clear that you don’t have to listen to the council when it comes to those kinds of orders,” Jack said. “You do not have to go back.”

“But if I don’t go, Uncle Jack, and the new slayer dies, her blood will _definitely_ be on my hands!” Buffy said. “How can I not go?” The thought of going back to Sunnydale terrified her.

Jack had a sick feeling. He was going to lose her to the hellmouth.

***** _Chapter End***_


	12. My First Hellmouth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For those that don’t like Faith, I hope you won’t be turned off by my story as I will be writing her a lot, but I won’t be writing her exactly as she was on the show as I’m writing her before she becomes too damaged. I loved the actress who played her, and I hated that she chose to not do a BTVS spin-off with Faith as Whedon wanted to do with her. This chapter is a deviation from my normal bit as it’s told entirely from her point of view.

_*****Oklahoma******_

I still couldn’t believe what had happened to me as I got off the plane, walking down the tunnel behind my new benefactor, wheeling my red suitcase behind me. Not only did it have wheels, but it had a matching satchel with it that I put my backpack in. I had tossed the clothesbasket at the airport in Boston since Mrs. H said I would get another once we were settled in California. It was decided that I could call her Mrs. H as she said it wasn’t proper for me to call her by her first name. Since she didn’t want me butchering her last name, she agreed to Mrs. H. The plane ride was a bit scary at take-off, but once we were in the air, I thought it was as cool as hell. I had a window seat and could barely believe it as things kept getting smaller and smaller. When we were in the clouds, I was spellbound. It was the most amazing experience of my life.

Eventually, I stopped looking out the window and began asking my new teacher about herself. She was a widow—her husband had a heart attack when her two daughters were very young. As he was in good physical condition, it had been a shock. One of her daughters, Lisa was married and had already made her a grandmother. The other, Darla was going to be a watcher and was working on her doctorate in ancient languages. Lisa and her grandchildren were in Oklahoma, so I was going to meet her family.

Before I knew it, we were back on the ground, and now I was in a brand-new state.

“This airport seems much smaller,” I said as we walked out of the terminal.

“Oh, Will Rogers is tiny compared to any on the East coast,” she said. “There’s my daughter.” She waved at a dark-haired woman, who I could tell was almost as tall as her mom. There was a little boy holding onto her hand. When he spotted Mrs. H, he broke away and came running.

“Grandma!” he shouted. He looked to be about five or so.

I smiled, watching the little dude. He was adorable but clearly of mixed race with dark coloring as he jumped into his grandmother’s arms.

“Faith, this is my grandson, JW. JW, this is my new charge, Faith,” she said.

“Hi!” he said. “What’s a charge?”

“It means, I’m going to take care of her like your mom takes care of you,” Mrs. H explained.

“Cool. So will she be like my cousin?” he asked, his eyes lighting up.

His words struck me, and I didn’t know what to say. Mrs. H, though, just smiled. “Something like that,” she said easily.

Her daughter caught up to us. “Mom, I am so excited that you were able to come to the states before the holidays!” she exclaimed, hugging her.

“Well, the timing worked out,” Mrs. H said. “Lisa, this is Faith, my new slayer.”

“I can’t believe it. You finally got your own slayer. Those old boys must be so pissed,” Lisa said with a grin as she looked at me and smiled. “Nice to meet you, Faith.”

“You don’t sound British,” I said, surprised.

“That’s cause I’m not,” she said. “I was born there, but we moved here when I was JW’s age. I can sound British if I want, though. My sister was born in the states.”

“Dad says Brits are pansies,” JW said with a grin.

“Your father should not be saying such things,” Mrs. H said with a frown.

Lisa just rolled her eyes. “Nick just likes to tease, Mom,” she said.

“Well, let’s get Faith to the ranch. She and I have much to do in the next week,” Mrs. H said.

When I stepped outside, I couldn’t stop the words as the heat hit me like a freight train. “Holy fuck!” I put my hand over my mouth and looked at little dude, whose eyes were wide at my dirty word. “Sorry. That was a bad word.”

“You’re not supposed to say bad words. That was a _really_ bad word!” he said.

“I know!” I said. “The heat just took me by surprise.”

“Oh, I should have warned you,” Mrs. H said. “Oklahoma in July is quite hot.”

“When it’s this hot, at least we don’t have to worry about tornadoes,” Lisa said with a bright smile.

“Tornadoes?” I said.

“Didn’t you know this is tornado alley? Our ranch is in Norman,” she said.

“Oh, it’s not in Chickasha?” I asked.

“No, that’s about an hour away,” Lisa said.

The heat was causing me to break into a sweat. It had to be close to a hundred degrees.

“That’s our tribe, but my family does not live on the reservation,” Mrs. H said. “They have a ranch out in the country about forty-five minutes from here.”

“Do you like horses?” JW asked me. “I have a horse. His name is Boomer. I named him after OU ‘cause Boomer Sooners. Dad says we bleed red, not orange, which is weird ‘cause I thought everyone bled red. He says that dumb cowboy fans bleed orange. I told him that I thought we were cowboys ‘cause we had horses, but he said we were real cowboys, not wanna be cowboy fans.”

“Oklahoma doesn’t have any professional football teams, so they take college sports way too seriously,” Lisa explained. Oklahoma State are the Cowboys with orange and black colors.”

“That’s cool,” I said, smiling at the kid. “Boomer sounds like a very cool name for a horse. I’ve never actually seen a horse.”

Both him and his mother looked at me in surprise. “Really?” JW said. “How could you not see a horse? They’re everywhere.”

“Not in Boston,” I said with a shrug. “Some cops patrol with some, but not in my neighborhood.”

“Honey, she lives in a city that is bigger than Oklahoma City, and she’s never been out of it,” Mrs. H told him. “She’s not had a chance to see any animal life except at the zoo.”

“What about cows? Have you seen a cow?” he asked me.

I shook my head. “Nope,” I said.

“We got like a hundred of those. They make really big turds—even bigger than horse turds. Did you know that’s where hamburgers come from? But it’s okay ‘cause that’s the circle of life, and God gave them to us to eat,” JW explained. “We just treat them right and take good care of them. Then they give us good meat to eat in return. Isn’t that cool?”

I thought that was some twisted shit, but how else can you get a little kid to be okay with butchering livestock and nodded. “Very cool,” I said.

By the time we made it to Lisa’s car, I was sweating bullets, and my hair was sticking to my neck. I’m so going to have to keep it put up in a ponytail if it’s going to be this freakin’ hot.

“Thank God for air conditioning!” I said as the car went down the highway, and I began to cool. When the car started up, I noticed that the dash had the outside temperature at ninety-eight degrees.

JW cooled. “We have a swimming pool. You can go swimming with me. Do you know how to swim? Do they have those where you’re from?” he asked.

I grinned at him. “Yes, they have pools in Boston. Yes, I can swim,” I said.

“Faith’s not here to play with you, JW,” Mrs. H said. “But we won’t start training until tomorrow, so you can help her get settled and show her your pool and horse this evening.”

“Does it cool off when the sun goes down?” I asked.

“Well, it doesn’t get dark until after nine, and then it’ll still be in the eighties, so not by much,” Lisa said.

I hope I survived the week in this inferno.

***** _A Week Later*****_

I couldn’t believe my time was already up, and we were going back to the airport to fly to California. JW was giving me sad eyes, and I was trying not to cry myself. What the hell? How did this little kid become so important to me in such a short time?

“Faith, Grandma says you’re going to kill monsters on the hellmouth,” he said. “When I get big, can I come kill monsters with you? Momma says that only girls can be slayers, but Daddy says that boys can be demon hunters. Can I help fight evil with you?”

“Anytime, little dude,” I said, putting my arms around him. During the week, he had let me ride his horse. He had let me swim in his pool. He had shown me how to catch lightening bugs—his favorite thing. I had never had a little brother, and I never realized what I was missing out on. Much to his grandmother’s amusement, he was my constant shadow. He even insisted that his dad get him a practice dummy like I had to practice my knife throwing at. I also shot arrows at it and practiced hits on it.

Mrs. H had several of the farm hands work with me on hand-to-hand, and I was excited to discover that I could actually fight. Lisa’s husband, Nick, was an ex-Marine. He was a very fine looking African American, who did not at all fit what I thought a horse and cow rancher should look like. 

When I told him that, he just shrugged. “I married into this life, and it suited me just fine,” he said.

Then he attacked me without telegraphing his movements. Luckily, I knew how to dodge. Somehow, I just knew how to move, and Mrs. H taught me how to move better and faster. She liked to fence, so we also did that. Little dude already had his own little fencing outfit—it was so adorable watching him. By the second day, I was a goner over that boy, and I didn’t know how his grandmother could bear being in England.

“Your grandson is a kick,” I said after I went swimming the first night with him. He showed off his cannon balls with relish.

“I know,” she said, smiling. “I adore him.”

“I wish we could stay longer,” I said.

“I as well,” she said. “But the hellmouth awaits.”

JW showed me his cows, and he took me to his favorite fishing hole. When he discovered I didn’t know how to fish, his dad took me fishing after dinner one day. JW was so excited when I caught a fish and insisted that his grandmother take a picture of us with my catch. Lisa gave me a framed a pictured of us the night before I left—I would treasure it always. I packed so many memories into the week even as I had worked my tail off training eight hours a day in the unbearable heat.

“Faith,” he said as we pulled in the airport. “You won’t let any vampires eat my grandmother, right?”

I wasn’t sure a little kid needed to know about monsters and vampires, but Mrs. H said watcher families had traditions that required children not be shielded from the truth. They were taught to know and to handle the grim realities of life. I looked at JW and nodded. “I will guard her with my life—I promise,” I assured him.

That seemed to satisfy him, and we got out of the car. Lisa gave me a hug. She was much warmer than her mother, and I had grown to like her a lot, too. “Take care of yourself, Faith. Don’t let Mom overdo it,” she said.

“I will, and I won’t,” I said, smiling. “Thanks for everything. Take care of little dude.”

“I will,” she said, smiling.

I hugged JW and gave him the fist bump I taught him how to do, and he grinned. Then he threw himself into his grandmother’s arms and began to cry, which surprised me as he was so mature and upbeat all the time.

“Don’t go, Grandma! I want you to stay here with me! Don’t go!” he begged.

She whispered something in his ear, and he was quiet. “Okay?” she prodded.

He nodded. “I love you,” he said.

“I love you, too,” she said. She kissed him and handed to his mother. “I will see you both soon. I’ll call you when we get there.”

I gave them one last wave goodbye, and then we went through the gate. We were hellmouth bound now—there was no going back.

***** _Sunnydale*****_

When we drove into the Sunnydale in the car, Mrs. H leased in Los Angeles, I didn’t know what to expect. The town seemed quiet and very nice. “Are you sure this is the place?” I asked as I looked out the window.

“I am,” she said. “Don’t let the benign appearance fool you.”

“So where to first?” I asked.

“Well, Rupert has procured us a house on the same street as his slayer. Kendra and her watcher were staying there while Buffy was in Colorado with her uncle,” Mrs. H said. 

“She doesn’t stay with her watcher?” I asked, wanting to learn about my counterpart. I was both excited and nervous to meet the slayer I had heard so much about.

“No. She lived with her mother, so Rupert has an apartment. He works as the librarian in her school,” she said.

“Are you going to work at the school?” I asked. That’d be great if she did as I wouldn’t be nearly so scared. How crazy was it that the thought of a new school scared me more than the thought of facing my first vampire?

“I have been told it will make things easier if I am. Their assistant principal position remains open, but the mayor has been resistant to allowing it to be filled, which I find most odd,” she said. “Therefore, I will be the new history teacher as the old one has retired. Of course, I still have to interview with the mayor, but I cannot imagine he will have a reason not to hire me.”

“Cool,” I said. “Buffy will be a senior? All her friends too?” I hope they didn’t treat me like a big loser for being younger. I could act older, though. I brought my make-up kit.

Mrs. H nodded. “Yes. You will be a year behind them, but do not allow that to bother you,” she said. “I have been told that Willow Rosenberg, her best friend, is brilliant and an excellent tutor. I will make sure she catches you up in your math before classes begin.”

“So Buffy’s uncle knows she’s a slayer?” I asked, wanting to know everything I could about her.

“He is her mother’s older brother, and a highly decorated air force colonel,” Mrs. H said. “I do not know exactly what he does in Colorado as it is classified, but Rupert was read in over the past few months. Whatever it is allowed him to recruit and train a team and bring several soldiers to the hellmouth under Rupert’s command. Buffy’s uncle supports her, but obviously does not like to see underage children fighting battles that he feels soldiers should be doing. I do not think he will interfere, but he will support Buffy however he can.”

“If he lives in Colorado, who’s going to take care of Buffy?” I asked. Maybe, she would live with us. Then it would be like having a big sister.

“I assume Rupert will watch out for her when he is not in town,” Mrs. H said. “We are going to meet Rupert at the house he procured.”

She turned down a street, and then she stopped in front of a two-story house that had a porch swing and a large yard. There were people on the porch.

“This is it,” she said, pulling into the drive.

I slowly got out of the car and watched as two teens came down the steps with an older man. One teenager was kind of cute with dark brown hair, and the other had the longest red hair that I had ever seen on a person. She gave me a shy smile, and I relaxed. They seemed nice enough.

“Hello, Glenda. It is good to see you again,” the man said. He has a British accent, so he must be the other watcher.

“Faith, this is Rupert Giles, Buffy’s Watcher,” Mrs. H said. “Rupert, this is Faith Lehane, my slayer.”

I felt a strong since of pride as I stood next to Mrs. H. She even towered over this other watcher, but he smiled warmly at me and seemed nice as he held out his hand. “It’s very nice to meet you, Faith. Please call me Giles. All the kids do. I have brought two here that will show you around town. This is Willow Rosenberg and Xander Harris.”

“Hi,” I said, giving them a wave.

“They may call me Mrs. H as Faith was already butchering my last name,” Glenda said, smiling at me.

I laughed. “Well, Giles is much easier than Humpfleet,” I told her.

“It is _not_ hump fleet. It is Humfleet,” she corrected, rolling her eyes.

Giles laughed. “She cannot possibly be worse than these Californian kids. They positively butcher the English language every time they open their mouths, and my slayer is the worst,” he said.

“Hey, I resemble that remark!” Xander said with a grin.

“Here is the key to the house,” Giles said, handing a key to Mrs. H. Then he handed me one. “I went ahead and made a copy for Faith, too.”

“Splendid,” she said.

I looked down at the key and saw it was on a rabbit foot’s keychain.

“I picked out the keychain,” Willow said. “I figure if a rabbit foot is good luck, you could use it since this is, like, a hellmouth and all.”

“I cannot believe they sell those barbaric things still,” Mrs. H said with a frown.

“Oh, the Magic Box sells all kinds of nifty things!” Willow said with her eyes lighting up. “They have actual eyes of newt. Can you believe that?”

“There’s a magic store in town? That’s convenient,” Mrs. H said.

“Magic is real?” I asked.

They all looked at me in surprise, and I felt my face get hot. “What? I’m a slayer, not a witch,” I said defensively.

“We spent the past week working on physical training,” Mrs. H said to Giles. “I did not get into much of slayer history or show her the slayer handbook.”

“She’s an American, so I wouldn’t bother if I were you,” Giles said dryly. “I threw it out after meeting Buffy.”

“Really?” Mrs. H said as she put the key in the door.

“Kendra loved her slayer handbook, and it did nothing but get her killed,” Xander said sourly. “She wouldn’t listen to anything but what she was taught even though Dr. Jackson was both brilliant and military trained and tried to reason with her, she was arrogant and thought she knew better. I hope you and Faith don’t make that mistake ‘cause we’re really sick of going to funerals.”

“Xander!” Giles said, giving him a look of disapproval.

I looked at my watcher to see how she was going to respond, and she showed them what a class act she was. “I know things have been difficult for you all, and I assure you that I will not be either unreasonable or so arrogant. Nor will I allow my slayer to be either,” she told them. “I have a grandson, who I want to see grow up, and Faith promised him we would both be safe. I know we both tend to do everything we can to make sure that is the case. We will appreciate your assistance and your advice while Faith learns what she needs to know to thrive here. I believe the stronger the support system the better the slayer will be.”

“That is exactly what I believe,” Giles said, smiling in approval. “It is why I’ve been working with the military to train even more help. We are going to save lives this school year, not bury more kids.”

“Then I think we’ll all get along just fine,” Mrs. H said, smiling. She turned on the light switch and saw that house was furnished. “You have it furnished? I’m most impressed, Rupert.”

“Somewhat. You can thank the children for that. I’ve been out of town until last week,” Giles said. “After they suggested the house, I came and saw that it was be sufficient and went about renting it for you. Quintin told me your books were being shipped to me, and they arrived two days ago. Xander had already found two bookshelves for the den, so he unloaded them. Then he and Willow hit some antique stores and found some furniture. Quintin had said that I should give my receipts to you, and you would take care of payment.”

“We didn’t get everything you needed—just some basics. I got a TV and microwave ‘cause I heard the new slayer was an American,” Xander said with a grin.

I laughed. “I appreciate that,” I told him.

“And, well, I just figured since you were British, you’d want old stuff and not new stuff,” Willow said. “My mom likes antiques, and she’s taken me to some nice places around the area.”

Mrs. H smiled, clearly impressed with the girl’s thoughtfulness. “I am very touched at your kindness,” she said.

“Don’t worry,” Xander said. “The mattresses are new,” he said. “I tested them myself. Firm like old people like and soft for Faith.”

I laughed, enjoying these two. I could tell that Mrs. H liked them, too.

“Well, we will let you get settled,” Giles said. “The grocery story is two blocks south. We didn’t do that.”

“Not a problem,” Mrs. H said.

“We’ll come back around eight?” Xander suggested. “Give us a bit of daylight to show you around. Then we’ll take you by the Bronze—that’s the dance club we hang out at. It’s also a prime hunting ground for vamps. Then a few of the main cemeteries. There’s twelve, so we can’t hit them all.”

“This town has twelve?” Mrs. H asked, surprised.

“Yep,” Willow said. “Lots of churches, too.”

“See you later,” I said watching them leave.

I pulled my suitcase inside and shut the door and looked around at my new home. Mrs. H smiled at me. “They seemed lovely,” she said.

I nodded. “Yea,” I agreed. “I can’t believe they got all the furniture and stuff.”

“They got the basics,” she said, turning on lights as she went into the den. There was a sofa and chair with a table and TV on it. 

“They got a DVD, too!” I said in surprise.

“Those kids are really thoughtful,” she said in bemusement. She went to the shelf and looked at her books and chuckled. “He arranged them in alphabetical order—Rupert has trained him well.”

We saw the kitchen had a small table with four chairs, but there weren’t any dishes. “Looks like a trip to Target or Walmart will be needed,” I said.

There was a bathroom downstairs and a bedroom and upstairs had two bedrooms and a bathroom.

“I believe I will take the bedroom downstairs that way if I’m up late reading, I am not going to have to go up and down those stairs,” Mrs. H said. “I doubt my knees will like that.”

“Fine with me,” I said. One of the bedrooms was very large, and they had picked out pretty much everything I’d need except hangers.

The backyard, though, was awesome. It had a privacy fence and a swimming pool. “There’s a freakin’ pool? I can’t believe it!” I squealed. “Did you know that?”

She smiled. “No, I didn’t, but I know many houses in California do have them,” she said. “You will have to maintain it as I know very little about the subject.”

“I will become an expert!” I promised. It wasn’t as big as her daughter’s, but it had two lounge chairs and a square thing that was covered. “What is that?”

She walked over to it, a smile on her face. “If it’s what I think it is, I might have to buy Rupert a very nice bottle of wine,” she said. She lifted up the lid.

“A hot tub?” I asked, my eyes wide. “We have a hot tub?”

“Now these old bones will make quite a bit of use of that,” she said, looking very pleased at the discovery.

I laughed, feeling giddy. “This place is the bomb, Mrs. H! I can’t believe it!” I exclaimed.

“Well, I told Travers I wasn’t going to live in a shithole as the cost of living on the hellmouth was exceedingly low anyway,” she said. “He is covering the rent and utilities, but I am paying for the furnishings.”

My stomach growled.

“Looks like we need to go get some food,” she said.

I couldn’t disagree.

***** _Later at the Bronze*****_

I was so glad that I packed my leather pants. When they said dance club, I knew they’d be perfect for tonight. I was super stoked to go to the club and go slaying.

“Do you think I’ll see any vampires tonight?” I asked Mrs. H. “How do I look?”

“You will see vampires,” she said. “I think you have on too much make-up for slaying. Are you sure you want to wear your hair down?”

“We’re going to a club. I don’t want to look like a loser,” I told her.

“You’re a beautiful girl, Faith. You could never look like a loser,” she said. “What about me? Do I look club ready?”

I laughed. “No way,” I told her, looking at her black slacks and hunter green blouse. She wore a jacket to carry extra stakes inside. She looked like a college professor or something.

“I have something for you,” she said. She reached into her bag and took out a small box. “This was something my watcher gave me when I first started my training, and I want you to have it.”

I opened it up and saw that it was a small silver cross with a diamond in the center—it looked very old. “This looks older than you,” I said.

“It is,” she said. “Turn around, so I can put it on you.”

“Thanks,” I said, feeling emotional. I couldn’t remember the last time anyone had given me a gift, and never one this nice.

“A cross will always keep away vampires, Faith, especially any newly risen ones,” she said.

“Really?” I asked in surprise.

She nodded. “Yes,” she said. “Do you have your stake?”

“I do,” I said.

“Do you have your back up stake?” she asked.

“I do,” I said. I lifted up my leather pants and showed her the one I had stashed inside my boot.

“That doesn’t look comfortable,” she said.

I shrugged. “Nice shoes are rarely comfortable,” I said. She had told me that slayers should always wear shoes they could run in and shoes they could fight in. Strappy sandals were never my style anyway.

A short time later, we were at the Bronze. Willow told me her boyfriend was in the band, and I was surprised as she seemed a bit mousy to have a boyfriend in a band.

“Oz is a werewolf—how do you feel about werewolves?” she asked, giving me an anxious look.

I glanced at my watcher, who didn’t seem surprised by this. “Well, as long as he isn’t gonna be humping my leg or anything, I’m five by five,” I said. “I don’t know much about them.”

“Oh, he’s just a wolf the three days of the full moon,” Willow said. “We lock him up in a cage in the library, so he can’t hurt anyone.”

“That’s good,” I said. “As long as he’s not biting me, I won’t have a problem with him.”

“That’s good ‘cause he was worried,” Willow said.

“Do you wanna dance?” Xander asked me. “I have a girlfriend, but she’s gone to Mexico for the summer. I’m allowed to dance with other girls. No kissing or she will have my balls.”

“She’s a ball buster, huh?” I asked, grinning. “I’d love to dance.” I was kind of glad that he had a girlfriend. It would make spending time with him easier if he didn’t have any expectations.

We danced two fast songs, and then I saw a guy that just felt wrong. The music slowed, and Xander noticed my preoccupation. “What’s wrong?” he asked me.

“That guy over there,” I said, pointing. “I think something’s off about him.”

“That’s probably your spidey sense at work,” he said.

“My spidey sense?” I asked.

“That’s what Buffy calls it,” he said. “You can sometimes sense evil. That guy’s probably a vampire.” We watched as he led the girl off the dance floor. “Since he’s leading the girl outside, I’d bet money. Let’s go.”

I followed Xander after the couple as they left the Bronze through a side door. When we got outside, she heard a scream. “Go!” Xander encouraged, pointing. 

I went toward the voice and saw the guy pinning the girl against the corner wall. “Leave her alone!” I called out. The guy turned toward, snarling, and I realized that it was an actual vampire. It was so ugly with its vampire face on that I reached for my stake, but then realized I needed to pull him off the girl before he hurt her. I did that and noticed that Xander moved the girl out of the way, which I appreciated.

Then it was like I was in the zone. I just started wailing on the guy, and then I saw an opening and reached for my stake, plunging it into his heart.

He turned to dust.

It was so amazing. It was real—I was a vampire slayer.

And I had officially slayed my first vampire on the hellmouth.

“Well done, Faith,” Mrs. H said, giving me a smile of approval.

I turned to her, grinning. “That was rad! Did you see it? He really turned to dust when I staked him, and I remembered what you said about pulling out my stake!” I said.

“Was that your first vampire?” Xander asked.

I nodded.

“Cool,” Xander said. “So you’re like brand-spanking new.”

“Yea, so?” I asked, narrowing my eyes at him.

“You basically just had your cherry popped then, huh?” Xander asked with a snicker.

I punched him in the shoulder.

“They are incorrigible,” Mrs. H said to Giles.

“Very much so,” he said.

“Where you guys run off to?” Willow said, coming outside to joining us.

“Faith just bagged her first vamp,” Xander said.

“Really? That’s great!” Willow said, smiling at me. “We should go to the cemetery on third street. Maybe, we’ll find you a nice demon to kill. Buffy likes to kill those sometimes for variety ‘cause vamps get kind of boring she says. But they’re also murder on her clothes ‘cause of the demon blood.”

“Sounds like wicked fun,” I said, glancing at my watcher, who nodded. She and Giles were prepared to trail after us. I listened to Willow babble, and Xander interject with comments.

It may be a hellmouth, but I think I’m going to like this place.

***** _Chapter End*****_


	13. Preparations

***** _SGC*****_

Buffy was glad to be back in Colorado but sad that her time there was coming to a close. Sam and Teal’c greeted her warmly. She gave them the gifts she and her uncle had bought, and they were very surprised and pleased.

“I thought you would like it,” she told Sam, who was admiring her swords.

“I really do,” she said. “I can’t believe you bought them. It’s too much.”

“Uncle Jack helped, so don’t worry,” she said.

Sam looked at Jack, who waved her concerns away. “You know I rarely spend money, and the store had so many cool things to buy,” he said with a grin.

“I am most honored,” Teal’c said, looking at his Japanese staff sword in admiration.

“I guess you guys heard that I have to go back to Sunnydale, huh?” she asked.

Sam nodded. “We did,” she said.

“We are very glad to know you will have both soldiers and another slayer to aid you,” Teal’c said.

Buffy knew he had a good point, but she still felt anxious.

Jack sensed her anxiety and spoke to his CO about it. “I do not know how I am going to send her to the hellmouth while I’m here at SGC,” he said.

Hammond sighed. “I have been thinking on this,” he said. “I don’t see how you can either. Although the President and I both see you as a cornerstone of our program here, we realize what your niece has sacrificed, and the sacred duty she continues to serve. He suggests that I put you in charge of Dr. Giles’ team.”

“You want me to leave SG-1?” Jack asked in surprise.

“No, I don’t want you to leave, Colonel, but I think you need to,” Hammond said. “Buffy needs you. If a situation arises, you can always come join us here.”

Jack nodded, feeling relieved that he didn’t have to make the decision to resign his commission. “Thank you, General,” he said.

“Do you think she’s ready?” he asked.

Jack shook his head. “No. I’m going to wait until the end of summer before going there. She has some time,” he said.

Hammond nodded. “I don’t blame you. I’d take every day I could if I were you,” he said.

Jack just hoped she’d be ready when the time came. Since she was going to be going back to California, it was decided that she would spend the Fourth of July in Colorado. General Hammond was hosting the Fourth of July celebration this year at his house, so his nephew Devin was there. Buffy was happy to see him, and she told him all about her trip to Japan. Of course, Teal’c had brought his Japanese staff to the celebration to show off—he was quite proud of it. Dr. Frasier brought Cassie, so Buffy felt good touching bases with everyone even if it made her a bit melancholy to know that she was going to have to say goodbye to them at the end of the summer. In just a short time, they had become like a second Scooby gang to her.

Buffy had decided to tell her dad about her calling when he flew in to see her for Thanksgiving. She decided that she would tell him in Sunnydale where she could easily prove that vampires were real since he had been the one to commit her to a mental hospital last time. Her uncle had agreed. They didn’t bother to tell him of her plans to return to Sunnydale before leaving Japan. Of course, Uncle Jack had reminded her that he could end up buying a ticket in advance, so they’d need to tell him sometime in September. She figured she would just tell him that she had decided to graduate with her friends after all. Now that Jack was going to be working with Giles in Sunnydale, she could tell her dad that he’d been transferred. It made things easier all around. She did miss Willow and Xander, so Buffy focused on how nice it would be to see them again.

The end of August would be here soon enough, so when Devin ask her to dinner, Buffy said yes, knowing that she wasn’t going to be around long enough for it to turn into an epic fail. She’d get Sam to take her shopping and enjoy the rest of her summer, determined to worry about the hellmouth later.

***** _Sunnydale*****_

Giles was surprised he was so happy to be back in Sunnydale, but he had missed the sunshine. Being underground was not something he ever wanted to get used to. Of course, it was thrilling to go on a few missions with SG-1 and visit actual alien worlds. All of his childhood dreams had all come true over the past few months. Too bad he couldn’t tell his mum about it as she would have been very impressed and excited to know that life on other planets was not a theory.

He made it in town two days before his teams. Just as he predicted, Snyder was overjoyed to have a JR ROTC at the high school. “Discipline is exactly what these kids need,” he said.

“I agree,” Giles said. “I will bring Lieutenant Anderson by to meet you and let you know what will be needed to get started.”

“I like this so much that I will withdraw my opposition to your colleague who applied for the history position,” Snyder said.

“You’d be a fool to reject someone with Mrs. Humfleet’s qualifications,” Giles said. “She has a master’s degree in ancient religions and history. She has been on several anthropological digs in Egypt and the Mesopotamia area.”

“Which begs the question, why would she want to come to teach here?” Snyder said, giving Giles a pointed look.

“Teaching in America is often the goal of many of my colleagues even if for only a year or so,” he said. “They want the experience.”

“Well, she has to interview with the mayor—he approves all new hires,” Snyder said.

“I trust that you will give him your endorsement,” Giles said.

“I suppose,” Snyder said. “You have managed to come up with a good idea for once. We’ll finally have some discipline and order to this school!”

Giles had never seen the man so happy, and he knew that Glenda would manage him well enough. He did not know her very well, but he knew that she was a formidable woman with an impeccable reputation. When he had found out that it had been her and not Diana who had be picked as Faith’s watcher, he had been pleased. His mother told him that once Kendra had been killed so soon, it had been decided that a more seasoned Watcher would be better at the hellmouth. Glenda was older than both he and Diana. She was a grandmother and a former potential. It was believed that she would do well with yet another American slayer who had managed to not be identified sooner. Giles was beginning to wonder if there wasn’t some out right bigotry going on regarding the American slayers as there was now two that were called and unidentified until they were called. It was practically unheard of. Of course, he privately thought Buffy was more successful for that very reason, and he hoped the same would be of the new slayer.

Willow and Xander came into the library. “Hey, Giles,” Willow said.

“Hello,” he said, smiling. He had missed them. “What brings you by?”

“We missed you, and you’ve only been back in town a few days,” Willow said. “We just wanted to know what you know about the new slayer and watcher. When will she get here? What will she be like? Do you think she’ll like me?”

“I missed you both very much, especially your babbling,” Giles said. “Where’s Oz and Cordelia?”

“Oz is touring with his band,” Willow said.

“Cordy’s on vacation in Mexico,” Xander said. “It’s just me and Willow since Daniel left.”

“The new slayer is an America girl from Boston, so I’m sure you will get along famously with her,” Giles said.

“An American?” Willow said, her eyes lit up.

“Boston?” Xander said. “She will love the ocean.”

“I’m sure she will. Not that I ever see you children at the beach,” Giles said pointedly.

“Redhead,” Willow said.

“I go sometimes,” Xander said.

“As for the new Watcher, her name is Glenda Humfleet, and you will love her. She is older than I, a widow and one-time potential slayer. I am very pleased she is coming as she was quite chummy with my older sister once upon a time,” Giles said.

“You have a sister?” Willow said.

“Yes, and a brother,” Giles said.

“How come we didn’t know that?” Xander asked.

“Probably because you never asked,” Giles said dryly.

“Oh,” Xander said, exchanging a look with Willow. “Well, we will correct that. Tell us everything. Your hopes, your dreams. Your disappointments.”

“I hope you will cease being so irritating. I dream that you will stop, and I am disappointed that you continue to prattle on,” Giles said with a smirk. “Now, if you have nothing to do, I could use your help.”

“Sure,” Willow said, eager to please.

“I need all the books back there to be transported to my car,” Giles said. “I’m dividing my books between here and the frat house on campus that my undercover military team will be residing in.”

They began piling up the books.

“If you two could help me find a house suitable for the new slayer and her watcher, I’d be most grateful,” Giles said. “I have my hands full with the military boys and setting up the house on campus. Luckily, I don’t have to worry about the ROTC program for another month.”

“Sure, we can help,” Willow said.

As they carried the books to the car, Xander mentioned, “You know the house at the end of Buffy’s street has been empty for a month now. Not sure if it’s for sale or rent.”

“Oh, the house with the pool?” Willow asked, her eyes lighting up.

“Let’s not try finding an overpriced house with a pool but one within a budget,” Giles said.

“Hey, this is Sunnydale,” Willow said. “All the houses here are way below market, so you never know.”

Two days later, both teens were more than a little smug when he signed a lease for the house. It had both a pool and a hot tub, and only the thought that he might utilize both had him finally resigning himself to it. Of course, the close proximity to Buffy’s house was a good thing. Giles hoped that the two slayers would be close and that his slayer would not feel the burden of her calling so severely.

When Glenda finally arrived with her slayer, they were waiting at the house for them. Willow was anxious while Xander was excited. He was struck by how attractive the new slayer was, but she seemed happy to be there, which was a good sign. “Glenda, it is good to see you,” he said.

Introductions were made, and they showed them the house. Glenda was impressed, pulling him aside before they left.

“This is beyond what I expected, Rupert,” she said. “I do appreciate it.”

“It really was all the children,” he told her. “They are fine kids—you’ll see.”

“I look forward to getting to know them,” she said.

“How does your slayer seem to be embracing her calling?” he asked.

“She was not in the best home situation, so I think she was glad to leave Boston,” Glenda said. “She has been hardworking and enthusiastic. The heat in Oklahoma was much more intense than she was used to, and she kept working.”

“That says a lot about her work ethic,” he said.

“I know,” Glenda said with a twinkle in her eye.

“You old bat,” he teased. “My slayer would complain at high volume if exposed to such humidity. I would never hear the end of it.”

“My slayer doesn’t really complain,” Glenda said.

“It must be nice,” Giles said with a sigh. “My children constantly complain.”

“You’ve grown too soft,” she said.

“Well, I am outnumbered,” Giles said. “Maybe you can whip them into shape.”

“I am sure that I can,” she said with a smile.

Giles smiled. “We’ll see you both later,” he said, waving at the new slayer.

“They seem really nice,” Willow said. “Mrs. H is so tall!”

“She’s like a giant!” Xander said with a grin. “If she’s teaching at the school, I can’t wait to see her stand next to Mr. Snyder.”

“What did you think of Faith?” Willow asked him.

“She was smokin’ hot! Is that like a slayer requirement?” he asked Giles.

Both children looked at him. “Of course not!” he said. “It just happens that many are attractive. I’ve photos of some, though, that were not very attractive.”

“That’s probably before good photo lens or nutrition,” Willow muttered. 

Giles was just glad the new slayer was in town, and he could get his team ready to face whatever the hellmouth threw at them.

***** _A Week Later******_

Faith was feeling more confident after being in Sunnydale a full week. The weather was amazing, and she appreciated it more after the week in Oklahoma. They got the internet hooked up at the house, so she and Mrs. H got to speak to little dude, which was awesome. He was very stoked to hear that they also had a pool, and he couldn’t believe that they had a hot tub. Lisa promised to bring him in town for Thanksgiving.

Much to Faith’s mortification, Mrs. H wasted no time asking Willow to tutor her in math. Willow, though, was so cool about it that Faith wasn’t embarrassed for long. It seemed that she really did help everyone of her friends, Buffy and Xander in particular. She was so patient and good at explaining things that Faith decided that she might not drop out of high school like she’d been contemplating. Not that Mrs. H would’ve been on board with that, but if the school at Sunnydale was a major suckfest, Faith had considered digging in her heels on the topic. Now that she was a slayer, going to school seemed like a total waste of time. What was the point when she knew exactly what she was meant to do?

She was out patrolling with Xander and Willow when she decided to ask the question she’d been hesitant to ask.

“Can you guys tell me what happened with Buffy and the vampire that killed her mom? Mrs. H said he was a part of the Scourge of Europe and told me about Spike and Drusilla and his sire Darla, but I felt like there was a lot more that she wasn’t telling me,” Faith said. When the two teens looked very uncomfortable, she knew she was right. “Come on, guys. I don’t want to upset Buffy by saying the wrong thing. I need to know everything.”

“When Buffy first came to town, she met this guy named Angel, who gave her a cross necklace and helped her out,” Willow said. “He was a bit older.”

“That’s putting it mildly,” Xander said with a snort.

“She had no idea that he was a vampire,” Willow said. “They became friends. I don’t know if your watcher told you about Angel’s curse. Angelus was evil—the worst.” Both teenagers looked grim as they recalled exactly how bad he was. “Angel, though, was like a sensitive poet. Sweet even. Kind of broody. He and Buffy started hanging out—he helped her stop the Master the first time he rose. By the time she found out he was a vampire, it didn’t really matter—she loved him.”

“Wait a minute!” Faith said, looking shocked. “You’re telling me that Buffy fell in love with a blood sucker?”

“Yea, it’s disgusting, huh?” Xander said.

Willow glared at him. “Buffy doesn’t judge people based on things they can’t help,” Willow defended loyally. “Angel had a soul. He was a good guy. Angelus was cursed by gypsies with a soul, and Angel didn’t do any of those things that he did. They had no idea, though, that the curse had a loophole.”

“I still can’t look at Miss Calendar without wanting to slap her,” Xander said.

“Giles’ girlfriend? What does she have to do with this?” Faith asked, confused.

“She’s a member of the gypsy clan that cursed Angel. She didn’t tell us that she was sent here to watch Angel and make sure his suffering continued,” Xander explained. “She didn’t warn us.”

“She didn’t know,” Willow defended.

“I’m not sure that I believe that,” Xander said.

“Of course, she didn’t know!” Willow exclaimed. “Giles wouldn’t have forgiven her if she had known!”

“Known what?” Faith asked, getting frustrated with them.

“Angel’s curse had a pesky little loophole,” Xander said. “One moment of perfect happiness and Angel reverts back to Angelus.”

“What do you mean?” Faith asked.

“He lost his soul the moment he experienced perfect happiness with Buffy the night of her seventeenth birthday when they had sex for the first time,” Willow said bluntly.

Faith took a minute to absorb the revelation, and then she felt more than a little horrified. “No f***ing way! You’re telling me that Buffy gives him a big happy, and she has like this perfect night and wakes up in bed with basically a serial killer?” she asked.

The duo nod. “It was a nightmare for her and all of us,” Willow said. “Angelus wasn’t just happy hurting Buffy, but he wanted to inflict the ultimate amount of suffering. To do that, he had to make her friends suffer, too, so he terrorized all of us. He was diabolical.”

“Wow, the poor girl,” Faith said, feeling real sympathy for the slayer she didn’t know. 

“He sent Spike and Drusilla to the library to attack us, so she never considered that he would go after her mother,” Willow said. “He’d killed my fish—played scary head games with all of us, but on Valentine’s Day, he left her the sickest gift. Xander got a broken arm, and I had a bookshelf thrown on me. Giles was knocked unconscious again—that happens a lot to the poor guy.”

“When Buffy made it to her home, rose petals were on the stairs, leading to her bed. Her mother’s dead body and a note from him was left,” Xander finished.

“Oh God!” Faith said, feeling sick.

“Yea,” Willow said, wiping her eyes as the memory still made her cry. “It was the worst.”

“What’s really bad is the knowledge that if Buffy had just told her mother what she was and about Angel, Mrs. Summer wouldn’t have invited him into the house,” Xander said. “She would’ve been safe.”

“He could’ve caught her outside,” Willow pointed out.

“Maybe,” Xander said. “But you know that’s not the thought that drives Buffy at night—it wouldn’t me.”

“And she has to come back to this town and that same house,” Faith said.

They nodded. It was a silent group that finished the patrol.

When Faith made it back home, Mrs. H was waiting. “How did it go?” she asked.

“Not much going on,” Faith said.

“What’s wrong?” Mrs. H asked, frowning.

“Xander and Willow told me about Buffy and Angel,” Faith said. “Did you know? About the curse? Buffy’s relationship with the vampire?”

Glenda nodded. “I did,” she said.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Faith demanded.

“I wasn’t sure you really needed to know,” she said. “It just muddies the water.”

“Muddies the water? What the hell does that mean?” Faith asked.

“It means that Buffy made a foolish choice to love a vampire, and she paid for her mistake,” Mrs. H said. “Did Angel do good? Yes. Can a cursed vampire be a force for good? Possibly. Rupert insists that he was, and although he didn’t approve of the relationship, Buffy was not going to be dissuaded. From what he says, she is exceedingly headstrong.”

“They think if her mother knew about her calling things would’ve ended differently,” Faith said.

Mrs. H nodded. “Possibly. For one, she wouldn’t have allowed the relationship to begin with,” she said. “At least, I would think not. Of course, living on the hellmouth and being the mother of a slayer is a danger. It is good that your own mother is safe in Boston.”

Faith agreed. “I feel real sorry for Buffy,” she said. “Making her come back to this town and that house seems kind of cruel.”

Mrs. H looked grim. “In war, people die, and sacrifices are made. Kendra gave her life, so another didn’t. Buffy’s mother’s life was lost because of choices Buffy made, but that does not take away from the truly heroic accomplishments she has made in this town. There is much you can learn from her, but you also don’t want to repeat her mistakes,” Mrs. H said. “Being a slayer is a heavy burden, and I hope that having you by her side will make the burden lighter for her.”

Faith really hoped so, and she was determined to be a friend to this older slayer, who had lost so much and had done so much for the world.

***** _Another Week Later*****_

Giles had been surprised how easy it had been for his military team to infiltrate the college campus in Sunnydale. As it had been decided that Colonel O’Neill was going to be in charge of all the military, Giles realized that putting O’Neill on campus would be better than having him at the high school near Principal Snyder. There was an Air Force ROTC program as well as an Army ROTC program on campus, and he thought it would be good for the Buffy’s uncle to consider being an instructor on campus. It would give him legitimacy for being in Sunnydale and on campus, a nice gig for a semi-retired colonel. When he called and spoke to Jack about it, he thought it was a good idea and got the ball rolling to join the Air Force ROTC program.

In the meantime, it was time to introduce some of his team to Faith the vampire slayer. She had spent the past two weeks acquainting herself with Sunnydale. She’d faced several vampires and slayed them without hesitation. Her fighting style was a bit more gung-ho than his slayer, but she was less sheltered than Buffy had been. She saw her calling as an improvement on her life, not a ruination as Buffy did.

He didn’t think it was possible for a slayer to be more cheeky than his slayer but Faith was, and he thought she would be very good for Buffy after Kendra.

Glenda was present went he invited Lieutenant Anderson and several others to the high school to meet Faith, Xander, Willow, and Oz, who was back in town. He didn’t want to overwhelm her with having all of the men there, so he selected the team that would be stationed at the high school to meet her first as it was smaller. Faith thought Oz was cool, and the two got along very well. She was nervous, though, to meet several military men, who knew what she was and was more than read up on the supernatural in Sunnydale.

After Giles made the introductions, Faith said, “Yo.” Then she felt like an idiot while Xander smirked at her.

“Sunnydale has been very tame this summer,” Giles said. “It seems after Drusilla killed Kendra, she and Spike left town. No one has spotted them and most of the more dangerous animals have followed suit. It won’t last, so enjoy it while you can.”

“We look forward to working with you, miss,” Anderson said.

“Please, call me Faith,” Faith said. She looked at all of them. “I’m not military. I’m not formal—I’m just me. I know Buffy’s uncle is a big wig in the military, and you may know her. I’m not Buffy. I don’t have her experience, but I’m happy to be here and do my duty. I figure if you watch my back, I’ll be happy to watch yours.”

She didn’t know it, but she said exactly the right thing to make the military both like her and respect her. Buffy was already a legend to them, but Faith—she would become a sister. Her eagerness to go out into the field was impressive to some and disturbing to others. It did succeed in making them want to watch out for her.

Eli whispered to his lieutenant, “She knows that there are monsters out there, right?”

Giles, though, heard him. “Slayers aren’t like you and I. They live for the hunt. There’s a predator inside of them that seeks its prey, and its prey is the things us mortals fear,” he said.

“She’s just a girl,” Eli said. “My sister is her age—it’s not right.” Several of the soldiers were still struggling with slayers being young girls; it didn’t sit well with their sense of fair play. Natural protectors, they believed teenagers should not be fighting wars, especially not any that involved real monsters.

“No,” Giles agreed. “But it is what it is. That’s why you are here. If you can lighten the load for her and Buffy, then I think that is something worth doing.”

Eli nodded. “So do I,” he said. It was the very least they could do to help these incredible young ladies. The others agreed and followed Faith on patrol.

Faith moved fast, though, sensing something ahead. Only Oz could keep up with her as she rounded the corner and came face to face with a man in black leather with white hair. 

“Spike,” Oz said quickly.

“Oh, look. It’s wolf boy,” Spike said with a smile. “Who’s your new friend?” He eyed Faith with interest.

“The name’s Faith,” Faith said. Then she punched him in the face, swinging his head back.

Spike grinned. “Ah, the new slayer is in town!” he said. “This is gonna be fun!”

“For me,” Faith said with a grin. Then she kicked him in the stomach, knocking him back several feet. Behind her the guys and watchers caught up and saw her and Spike engaging.

This was the first time the soldiers had seen Faith fight, and they were getting her fighting a master vampire—one who had reportedly killed two himself. Spike was clearly enjoying the fight.

“You got spunk,” he said. “I like you.”

“I don’t care,” Faith said.

Spike finally noticed her entourage. “Why are you traveling with so many? Are they worried you might get dead like poor Kendra?” he asked. 

“You don’t get to talk about her!” Faith said, angry that he’d dare bring up the other slayer. Each time she managed to hit him, he just shook it off or he’d hit her back. 

“Of course, I do, love,” Spike said. “I am somewhat of an expert on slayers. After all, I am the only vampire to have killed two.”

“That means if I kill you, I’ll become quite a legend myself, huh?” Faith said, kicking him in the leg.

Xander used the opportunity to let lose his crossbow and nailed Spike for the third time. “Damn it!” he exclaimed as he saw that he hit him in the arm this time. “I can’t hit his heart for nothing!”

“At least you managed to hit him,” Willow consoled.

Spike snarled as the arrow hit his dominant arm. “Bullocks! I’m going to rip out that wanker’s heart!” Spike vowed as he pulled the arrow out.

“Oh, did you get a boo-boo?” Faith asked. “Let me make it worse.” She kicked him in the face.

This time Spike decided to cut his loss and ran off instead of confronting her again.

“Well done, Faith!” Mrs. H said, giving her a beaming smile of approval.

“He got away,” Faith said, frowning.

“But you’re alive,” Giles said. “When fighting Spike, we consider that a win.”

“So I guess we were wrong about him and Drusilla leaving town,” Willow said.

“Unfortunately,” Giles said.

“He wasn’t at all what I thought he’d be like,” Faith said. “He clearly enjoyed fighting a lot.”

“That’s Spike,” Xander said. “If I could just manage to get an arrow into his black heart!”

“Thanks for the assist,” Faith said.

“Glad to help,” Xander said.

The military soldiers who had witnessed the events and basically did nothing felt incredibly useless. A high school boy managed to help the slayer while they did nothing.

Somehow, they didn’t think O’Neill would be impressed.

***** _Chapter End*****_

_Reviews or kudos are always so appreciated. Thanks so much!_


	14. Return to the Hellmouth

_*****A Few Weeks Later*****_

Time on the hellmouth seemed to move at warp speed. Faith found herself falling into a nice groove that gave her confidence and made her gel with her new friends and the military group. The two Watchers had her working with the high school group on Mondays and Wednesdays, and then the college group on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Fridays the groups were combined and randomly split so that all the players would feel good working with each other no matter what the situation called for. Saturdays and Sundays the high school kids patrolled with her. Although Willow and Xander weren’t sure how they felt about being left out five days a week, Mrs. H laid out the argument in clear terms:

“The more you patrol, the more likely you, too, will die before you are eighteen,” she said bluntly.

As both teenagers were more than a little intimidated by the new watcher, they didn’t argue. It wasn’t like they were ignored the five other days. Instead, Giles and Mrs. H had worked up a schedule with the high school team to start training with them. Mrs. H convinced Giles that it was irresponsible to allow any of them to fight with a slayer without real training, and the teens had snickered the day that conversation had taken place.

“Buffy would so be pissed right now,” Willow whispered to Faith.

“Why?” Faith asked.

“She doesn’t like anyone criticizing her watcher,” Xander said with a grin.

Faith laughed. “I feel the same way,” she said.

“When your girlfriend returns, she will have to join you if she plans on going into the field,” Mrs. H said to Xander. 

Xander nodded. “She’s supposed to get into town the same week Buffy does,” he said. He was very anxious to see her. They hadn’t spoken in a few weeks outside of the one email he had sent her telling her about the new slayer and watcher. Cordelia had sent a very short response, and Xander wondered if she had met some hot Mexican on her trip or was making it with the cabana boy or something.

Glenda had become quite fond of Rupert’s group of teenagers and was excited to meet his slayer as they were devoted to a cause that wasn’t really theirs only because of their devotion to his slayer. It was quite remarkable to find such self-sacrifice in kids their age, and they surprised her all the time. Xander was enthusiastic and very brave—he had a lot of heart. Although he did not possess even half the intellectual curiosity of his best friend Willow, the two were extremely close. Xander was very protective of her but not sexually attracted even though Rupert had said Willow had once had a crush on him, who in turn had a crush on Buffy. However, the trio had remained completely platonic, and both had gained their own dating partners, who had stepped into the group with apparent ease. Of course, she had been warned about Cordelia and her complicated status in the group as the one-time tormenter of Willow and was the most popular girl in school.

It was quite fascinating as the town was in denial or be-spelled to ignore what was happening, and yet the most popular girl in school somehow began dating Xander, the school misfit, who had a female best friend and another boy, who had died the week Buffy came to town. Willow herself would make an incredible watcher someday as she had a hunger for knowledge that Glenda had never encountered in a teenager even though her own daughter Darla was quite brilliant and pursuing higher education. Watching her work with Jenny, the techno-witch, though, showed that Willow had potential to be a very powerful witch in her own right.

Her boyfriend, Oz, was still an enigma to Glenda as he rarely spoke unless spoken to, and even then, he never wasted words. It was an impressive feat for one so young. However, when he spoke, everyone listened as he never said anything that was not worth listening to. He reminded Glenda a bit of her late husband Joe, and she had quickly developed a soft spot for the werewolf. Rupert insisted the boy was as brilliant as Willow if not more as the school had taken a test the year before, and the two of them had been singled out for recruitment by a very prestigious company. Yet he only seemed interested in music and Willow. She discovered quite by accident, though, he was fluent in Latin. When his girlfriend had heard her comment, she had looked quite betrayed.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Willow asked.

Oz shrugged. “You never asked,” he said.

What do you say to that? Glenda had given the poor girl a look of sympathy and said, “Well, you can work on polishing up Willow’s because many of the spells she will want to learn require fluency in Latin.”

Oz nodded.

Faith found Oz to be a real kick as she never knew guys could be that smart and be in a band and yet not care that much about school. She realized this when she found out he was a year older but was repeating his senior year much to Willow’s dismay. On one hand, Willow was happy to have a boyfriend in school her senior year. On the other hand, she didn’t understand how someone so smart could allow himself to flunk so many classes that he couldn’t graduate with his bandmates.

They were in the library a few days before Buffy was set to return when this revelation came up.

“How did this happen, Oz?” Willow asked when Oz casually told Faith he would be going to Sunnydale himself as a senior.

“My counselor said attendance is required by the state to pass,” he said. “I didn’t attend much. I passed all the final exams, but that didn’t matter.”

“Wicked,” Faith said with a grin.

“You can pass a final without attending one class?” Xander said, impressed.

“Oh, I attended on occasion,” he said with a shrug. “I did the readings, and tests are always just easy for me.”

“Well, aren’t you just special,” Xander said sarcastically.

“He is,” Willow said with a sigh and fond smile.

“I hope you’ve learned how foolish it was to waste your year,” Mrs. H said, giving him a disapproving look.

“I don’t know about that,” Oz said with a small smile. “I got to attend several gigs with my band, and now I get to attend senior year with Willow.” He reached over and gave her hand a squeeze, and she kissed his cheek.

Rupert rolled his eyes and wasn’t going to try and argue with the boy, but Mrs. H was stubborn.

“Doing only what you want is a selfish way to live,” she said. “You are incredibly brilliant but unfocused. Now that you are a werewolf, it is more important than ever that you learn to hone all your abilities, including your intellect.”

“Hey, Oz isn’t selfish!” Willow protested, offended on her boyfriend’s behalf. “He just beats to a different drum, and it’s not your place to judge him, especially since you barely know him.”

“Will,” Oz said softly, squeezing her hand. “It’s okay.” He knew that Mrs. H was a grandmother and just couldn’t help it. His own grandmother had given him the very same lecture.

“Why don’t you guys come over to our house and go swimming?” Faith suggested, changing the subject. They usually hit her pool at least once a week. The first time, she’d worn a skimpy bikini until her watcher had seen it. Mrs. H made her change, lecturing her on how inappropriate it was to dress in such a manner around hormonal boys, who had girlfriends. Girlfriends—she reminded Faith—who Faith wanted to be friends with or at least get along with. Normally, Faith would have told her to go screw herself ‘cause no one was going to tell her how to dress, but she did like her new friends. She wasn’t trying to break up any happy couples and decided her watcher was probably right. Now she wore a sleek red one piece because there was no hiding how hot she was anyway!

The teenagers happily agreed to go, and they spent a very pleasant afternoon, the near fights quickly forgotten.

_*****Three Days Later****_

Jack was driving his truck into Sunnydale and glanced at Buffy to see how she was doing. Saying goodbye to everyone in the mountains hadn’t been easy for her, but she’d put on a smile. Then she’d not said a word until they’d pulled over for lunch. He had let her be, knowing how difficult it was for her to face the home her mother was murdered in. Now they were in the city limits, and he could sense her tension.

“Are you okay?” Jack asked.

Buffy nodded. “Yea,” she said. “It’s just strange. I could actually feel the hellmouth as we came into the city. I guess being gone for so long has made it more obvious to me.”

“That makes sense,” he said.

“I’m sorry you had to uproot your life for me,” she said.

“I didn’t have to do anything,” Jack told her. “I wanted to do this, Buffy. Having you in my life has made me happier than I’ve been in a long time.”

“Really?” she asked in surprise.

He smiled. “Really,” he said. “I guess I didn’t realize how lonely I was since Charlie died, and my marriage fell apart. I mean, I have my team, but it’s not the same thing.”

Buffy nodded. “I get it,” she said. “I’m glad. I’d hate to think that my screwed-up life screwed up your life, too.”

“Well, first of all, that’s not happened in any way, shape, or form,” he said. “Second of all, your life isn’t screwed up—it’s just a bit of a challenge.”

Buffy smiled. “I like your optimism,” she said.

“I’m Air Force. We save the pessimism for the Marines,” he said with a smirk. Then he was pulling into her driving, careful with the U-Haul trailer he was pulling. He had brought in a work desk and all the clothes Buffy had accumulated as well as his own clothes. It was strange to leave behind all his winter gear. He left the majority of his furniture at his house, and Buffy was going to drag him shopping for California casual wear. Maybe, he could talk a private into going in his place—he smiled thinking about it.

When Buffy went into the house, she didn’t know what to expect, but it mostly looked the same. There were less photos as Kendra’s watcher had packed up most of them. When she walked upstairs, she saw a few still on the wall. She paused and looked at the pictures of her as a baby and kindergarten. Her bedroom, though, was different. Jack came up behind her as she stood in the doorway looking in.

“I had a new bedroom suite ordered for you,” he said. No need to say why.

Buffy was relieved as the bed was in a different place, and the colors were not the same. She turned around and hugged her uncle. “Thanks,” she said. Then she cried as she knew she had to live in her house without her mother .

***** _The Next Day*****_

Buffy went to Giles’ house the next late morning to let him know she was back in town.

Giles smiled and stepped back to let her come in. “It’s good to see you,” he said.

Buffy hugged him. “You, too,” she said. “Sorry, we missed each other when I got back from Japan. I brought you a souvenir, but I didn’t bring it. How did you like your time as a space invader?”

He chuckled. “It was an amazing experience,” he said. “But I’m glad to be back here with you.”

Buffy beamed at him. “I’m glad to be back with you, too, but I’m not so sure yet about being back here,” she said.

“Give it time,” he said. “No need to rush into things.”

“Uncle Jack bought me a new bedroom suite, so it made sleeping in my room easier,” she shared.

“That was good of him,” Giles said. The Colonel was always finding ways to make things better for his slayer, and Giles really appreciated it. “Would you like some tea?”

“Nah, I’m good,” she said. “So what’s been going on?”

He filled her in on how things had been and the new schedules they’d been keeping with Faith and the military teams as well as her friends.

“Wow, so many changes,” Buffy murmured. “Do I still have a place here?”

“Of course, you do,” he assured her. “You will always be the senior slayer. The one who has faced and killed more master vampires on record than any other. Together, you and Faith can put down Spike and Drusilla.”

“They are still in town?” she asked, eyes flashing as she thought of how they’d killed Kendra.

“They are,” Giles said. “I’m a bit relieved that Drusilla didn’t try to chase after Dr. Jackson—she was clearly obsessed.”

“An obsessed vampire is not a good thing,” Buffy said with a grimace.

“No,” Giles agreed. “We need to put her down as soon as possible. Spike is not nearly as obsessive or insane. Nor is he really as bad as Angelus even though he has killed two slayers. It’s almost like he seeks out slayers because he’s bored.”

“Daniel told me that he thought Spike encouraged Dru to kill Kendra because she was boring, and they wanted me back because I was more fun,” Buffy said. “Isn’t that messed up?”

Giles shook his head. “The logic of vampires is not something I’ve dared to contemplate,” he said.

“Tell me about it,” she said. “So how’s the new slayer?”

“She’s good. Very enthusiastic,” he said with a smile.

“Seriously?” Buffy asked.

“Her home life wasn’t much to speak of, so I believe she sees this as a step up,” he said.

“That’s tragic,” Buffy said.

“She’s been getting along well with the group,” Giles said. “Of course, Cordelia isn’t back yet.”

Buffy grinned. “No one really gets along with Cordelia but Oz,” she said. “Not even Xander.”

Giles chuckled. “You have a point,” he said.

“What about the new watcher? Is she cool?” Buffy asked.

“I like her very much,” Giles said. “My older sister was quite close to her back in her college days, so I know her somewhat—enough to call her by her first name anyway. She will be working at the high school. In fact, she actually had the Troll eating out of her hand after her interview. He was very impressed with her as was the mayor.”

“Really? Snyder actually liked someone? That is an accomplishment!” Buffy said.

“I think you will like her,” Giles said. “She is a bit stricter than I as she was once a potential and is a grandmother. The safety of the children she takes very seriously.”

“That’s good,” Buffy said, a haunted look in her eye. “Uncle Jack will love her.”

Giles smiled. “I believe he will, too. His bad knee will probably love the hot tub they have in their rental house that is on your street,” Giles shared.

“I heard that from Willow,” Buffy said, shaking her head. “I still can’t believe she managed to score a pool and a hot tub. Will called and told me all about the pool and hot tub weeks ago. I am so jealous. My house in Los Angeles had a pool.”

“Faith has the kids over frequently, and I know you are welcome anytime,” he said. “Glenda hopes you will take Faith under your wing and mentor her. She is an only child like you, and she has a lot of bravado. However, I sense that there is a lot of insecurity underneath. Glenda has hinted of such.”

Buffy nodded. “I will. Don’t worry,” Buffy said. “I’m going to go see Willow and call Xander to come over, so we can spend some time together. Then they can take me to meet the new slayer.”

“When do you want to start training?” he asked.

“Tomorrow is fine,” she said. “I’ll probably go patrolling with Faith tonight. Is she with one of your teams tonight?”

“She’s with the high school team tonight,” Giles said. “Now that you’re here, we’ll see how you feel. If you don’t want to go out every night, you don’t have to. When school starts, I’m sure Glenda will want you and Faith to take turns, especially on school nights.”

“That’s kind of cool,” Buffy said with a smile.

Giles said goodbye, happy to see his slayer. The dead look in her eyes was gone, and it warmed his heart.

Another hour later, Buffy was back with her two best friends, and she decided that this was what she was going to focus on—her friends. Everything else would be secondary.

She was back home on the hellmouth without her mother, and that sucked severely. But she had her uncle, and she had her friends and Giles.

That would have to be enough to get her through the year.

***** _Chapter End*****_

_Next chapter Faith and Buffy meet. If you're enjoying this, I would love a comment or a kudos! Thanks so much!_


	15. Then There Were Two

_******Same Day, Later that Evening*****_

Buffy felt whole being back with Willow and Xander. It was like she never left as the three of them fell into an easy rhythm. After they shared how things went with them in Sunnydale while she was gone for the summer, she told them about Japan. Then they walked with her back to her house, so she could give them their souvenirs. Willow was very excited about her book on Japanese history she had found at this old bookstore while Xander loved his tourist Samurai sword.

“I put together a photo album,” Buffy said. “I think Uncle Jack has it, though.”

“Where is he?” Willow asked.

“He said he was going to meet the guys on campus,” Buffy said. “He’s going to be teaching there and working with their Air Force ROTC program, too, I think.”

“That’s so great,” Willow said excitedly.

“Yea,” Buffy said. “Dad didn’t really think I should stay in the house Mom died in, and I wasn’t sure I’d be able to. Uncle Jack remodeled the room entirely and bought me a new bed.”

“I’m not sure I’m ready to go up there yet,” Willow admitted.

“I understand,” Buffy said, squeezing her hand. She had left their gifts on the dining room table, so she hadn’t had to go upstairs to get them.

“It still seems strange being in this house without your mom here,” Xander said. 

“Imagine how I feel,” Buffy said.

“We do,” Willow said. “That’s why we understood when you left, and we feel kind of bad that they’re making you come back even though we also feel happy that you’re back.”

“Then we feel guilty for feeling that way,” Xander admitted.

“No need to feel guilty,” Buffy said. “I think I have felt enough guilt for everyone. My counselor says that guilt is normal for survivors of tragedies. The counselor I saw on base in Colorado knew about me being a slayer, so I didn’t have to keep details from him.”

“Really?” Willow said. “That’s amazing. How come you never mentioned that before?”

“I guess I wasn’t ready to talk about it,” Buffy said with a shrug. “But there’s a lot of things that will come up being back here, and my counselor is in Colorado.”

“Are you going to do video sessions with him?” Willow asked.

“Yes,” Buffy said. “As soon as you help Uncle Jack set up his computer and video camera. I told him he didn’t need to have Sam call all the way from Colorado to do it ‘cause you were just as good as her.”

Willow beamed at her. “I so can!” she said.

“So how’s the new slayer?” Buffy said. “I know you said she was less militant than Kendra as she wasn’t counsel raised. Giles says he knows her watcher.”

“Faith is cool,” Xander said. “Smokin’ hot like every slayer I’ve met so far.” He gave her a leer, making her giggle.

“She knows you’re taken, right? Cordy doesn’t like to share,” Buffy said.

“Nah, she’s a bit of a flirt, but nothing over the top,” Xander said. “Her watcher is scary strict.”

Willow grinned. “Yea, she’s kind of cool and mean at the same time,” Willow said. “Faith adores her, though. She made her change out of her bikini when Xander and Oz came over to use their pool as she said it wasn’t appropriate to show so much skin around teenage boys who had girlfriends.”

Buffy laughed. “And she listened? I’m impressed. I’m not sure what I’d say if Giles pulled that crap on me,” she said.

Xander snickered thinking about it. “I can’t see him spitting out the words—he’d take off his glasses to clean and then not be able to look you in the eye,” he said.

“Then he’d forget what he was going to say once he did!” Willow added, giggling.

Buffy grinned. “So this Glenda is a real toe the line watcher, huh? She better not start trying to tell me what to do. I get enough of that with Uncle Jack and all his team now,” she said. “You should see Sam’s plans for my academic career once she gave me that sneaky IQ test! I told her I wasn’t going to be a pod person no matter how cute the dress uniforms for women were!”

“Colonel Summers has a nice ring to it, I think, Buff,” Xander said, saluting her. Buffy just glared at him.

“You ready to go meet Faith and her watcher?” Willow asked. “We have about an hour of daylight left.”

“Sure,” Buffy said. The trio chatted and joked as they strolled down her street to the house at the end of the block. “This is the place?”

“Yep,” Xander said. 

They rang the bell, and Faith opened the door. “Hey,” she said. Her eyes widened slightly when she saw Buffy. “Oh, hi.”

“Faith, this is Buffy,” Xander introduced.

“Hello,” Buffy said, smiling. “I thought I’d come say hi.”

“Well, I’m glad you did. Come on in,” Faith said.

The three Sunnydalers cringed, and Faith looked sheepish. “Oh, my bad,” she said. “But it’s not like any of you guys are vamps—it’s still daylight.”

“Still,” Buffy said. “Get out of the habit.”

“Did I just hear you issue a verbal invite to someone?” a British voice said.

“I bet that’s your watcher, huh?” Buffy said with a grin.

“Yes, Mrs. H,” Faith said, rolling her eyes. Then she turned to face her watcher, looking contrite. “I know. Won’t happen again.”

“I realize it is daylight, but you must train yourself to not issue verbal invitations,” Mrs. H said. She looked at Buffy. “You must be Buffy. It is wonderful to meet you. I am Mrs. Humfleet. The children call me Mrs. H.” She held out her hand to Buffy.

Buffy looked up at the towering woman with more than a little awe. The woman had to be the same height as her uncle, and she had green eyes that held both compassion and keen intelligence. “Nice to meet you,” Buffy said when she finally found her voice. She glanced at her best friends, wondering why they hadn’t properly prepared her for the woman’s sheer presence. Xander just smirked knowingly while Willow held up a book to show the watcher.

“Look at the book Buffy brought me back from Japan,” Willow said.

Mrs. H accepted the book. “This is a great find, Buffy. My daughter would be very jealous as she loves Japanese antiquity,” she said.

“Japan has all these cool shops,” Buffy said. “I had a lot of fun strolling around looking at them while my dad was at work.”

“I got a sword, but I left it at Buffy’s,” Xander said.

“It’s not one he can fight with—it’s a replica,” Buffy said. “Uncle Jack bought Giles and Sam real ones, and Teal’c an ancient Japanese staff. He was very proud of it. Those are member of his team back in Colorado—his best friends.”

“We really miss Dr. Jackson,” Willow said.

“That’s Uncle Jack’s civilian team member and other best friend,” Buffy said.

“Yea, we’ve heard a lot about him,” Faith said. “Drusilla the crazy vamp is obsessed with him. Wanted to sire him or some shit.”

“Uncle Jack says that kind of thing happens to Daniel a lot,” Buffy said, grinning. “Not with vampires but when they’d meet new cultures. Daniel was always finding the crazies wanting to pick him up as their prize monkey or something.”

“It’s ‘cause he’s got this way about him,” Willow said. “He just draws people to him. The crazies love him, too.”

“Poor brilliant guy,” Xander said.

“I look forward to meeting him when he comes to town,” Mrs. H said. “I have heard so much about him from Rupert and the others that I feel like I know him already.”

“He’s the best,” Buffy said, smiling. “I miss him already, too. He came with Uncle Jack to Japan, and we had a lot of fun.”

“So do you wanna go patrol?” Faith asked.

“Sure,” Buffy said.

“I’m going to meet Oz at the Bronze,” Willow said.

“Will you guys be there later?” Xander asked the slayers.

“Of course,” Faith said. Then she looked at Buffy, who nodded.

“I’ll walk you home, Will,” Xander said. They had decided earlier to let Buffy and Faith patrol alone for their first time, so that they didn’t have to try to navigate between the two very different personalities. It just wasn’t something either of them wanted to do, so they just decided to introduce and leave as soon as possible.

Faith was a bit nervous that their friends were leaving them so soon, but she supposed it was for the best. Buffy seemed nice enough—not stuck up or resentful of her presence. Mrs. H had reassured her that things would work out fine with Buffy, but Faith was still anxious waiting for her to arrive. Now that she was here, Faith just hoped that she didn’t embarrass herself.

“So how do you like Sunnydale?” Buffy asked as they walked toward the closest cemetery. It was still a bit early—the sun was just starting to set.

“It’s cool,” Faith said. “I miss the food in Boston a lot, though. The pizza in this town sucks, and so does the Chinese food.”

“It’s okay,” Buffy said with a shrug. “There were tons better places in Los Angeles, but I got used to it. Mom doesn’t order out much, though. I bet you won’t miss the snow.”

“Not when it comes to slaying,” Faith said. “I can’t imagine trying to chase down a vamp in a foot of snow.”

Buffy laughed. “I never considered that,” she said.

“What gets me about this town is how oblivious so many people are,” Faith said. “I heard that you actually slayed vampires in front of people at the Bronze—lots even—but they just reasoned it away.”

“Yea, Xander’s girlfriend Cordelia was there. It was my first week in town, and she told everyone I knew the gang members who crashed the Bronze,” Buffy said, rolling her eyes.

“Seriously?” Faith asked. “Xander didn’t tell me that!”

“Of course not,” Buffy said with a snort. “But she did get better—I have to give her credit. After a while, she couldn’t deny anymore what was happening, and she walked away from a lot of popularity to join our freak show. Dating Xander didn’t win her any popularity points.”

“What’s wrong with Xander?” Faith asked. “He’s cute. Not a book nerd like Willow. Athletic.”

“There’s nothing wrong with him,” Buffy said. “But you know how cliques are in small towns. Once you form yours, it’s just how it is. He has been with Willow since kindergarten, and their other best friend Jesse. Jesse died the first week I came to town—I couldn’t save him.”

“Yea, Xander mentioned that,” Faith said. “I can’t imagine having to slay my best friend—not that I have a best friend. My family was too poor for me to have many friends. My dad too notorious.”

“Well, you’ll have friends at Sunnydale,” Buffy said, smiling at her.

“You know I’ll be a grade below you guys,” Faith said.

Buffy shrugged. “Not a big deal. Juniors and seniors have the same lunch period and go to prom together,” she pointed out.

Faith smiled. “Cool,” she said.

They saw a pair of vampires walking through the cemetery and shared a smile. Without needing to speak, they each took the one on their side. Buffy had hers dispatched before Faith’s, glad to see she hadn’t lost her touch as it’d been a while since she had slayed any vampires. There had only been one encounter in Japan, and her uncle had taken out once to the hot spots Giles found just the one time when she returned state side.

She was able to watch Faith, who clearly enjoyed pummeling her vampire before she finally staked it.

“Nice,” Buffy said, flashing her a smile of approval.

Faith tried to appear casual even though she felt giddy to finally get some action and do so well next to Buffy. “Thanks,” she said. “How does it feel to be back in the swing of things?”

“Not bad. Like riding a horse as they say,” Buffy said.

Faith grinned. “Oh, you know I actually got to do that in Oklahoma!” she shared excitedly. “My watcher’s daughter actually lives on a ranch! It was the cool as shit. Her grandson is the cutest thing ever, and he let me ride his horse.”

Buffy smiled, surprised by her confession. “I rode one once at a friend’s in middle school back in Los Angeles,” Buffy said. “It scared me to death at the time. I hope now that I’ve faced death and been called, I’d be a bit braver.”

“Well, I was still terrified, and I _was_ a slayer at the time!” Faith said with a laugh. “But it was really cool, too. One of those experiences you are glad you have even if you’re not sure you want to repeat. You know?”

“Most definitely,” Buffy said smiling. “That’s how I felt about the robot battle I saw in Japan.” Then she told Faith all about it.

The two slayers had an easy time chatting and sharing stories. Faith told her about the fish she caught, and Buffy said her uncle would love to take her fishing if she wanted to go sometime.

Faith didn’t know if she was serious or not, but the casual way Buffy offered the invitation made her feel warm inside. They didn’t encounter any demons, so they headed to the Bronze, where their friends awaited.

***** _The Next Day*****_

Jack was happily listening to his niece tell him all about her evening of hanging with her friends and meeting the new slayer. Their first patrol had gone well, and Buffy was smiling as she told Jack about the night.

“Sounds like you two hit it off,” Jack said.

“Yes, she was nice,” Buffy said. “She said she went fishing in Oklahoma, and she caught this really big fish. She has a picture of it. I told her that you might take her fishing sometime. I don’t think her dad’s in the picture.”

Jack’s eyes lit up. “You think she’d like to go? Oz is the only one of your friends quiet enough to go, but he finds fishing an exercise in cruelty. Can you believe that? That’s the most insane thing I’ve ever heard! And Danny is my best friend! You won’t believe the things I’ve heard from _him_!”

“Well, you do sort of tease the fish with food, and then when it latches on to eat, you reel it in and then eat it!” Buffy pointed out, earning a glare from her uncle.

“We are carnivores! How do you guys think your hamburgers and hot dogs come to be, huh?” he said with a glare.

Buffy laughed. “Why don’t we go over and meet the new slayer, and you can invite her to go fishing with you?” she said.

“Why don’t you call them and invite them over for lunch? I’ll make grilled cheese and tomato soup,” he said.

“Cool,” Buffy said. “Make sure you make at least twelve sandwiches, though, because I’m sure Faith will want three or four like I will.”

“Yea, yea,” he said. “I better go see what the bread situation is looking like. I know we have cheese.”

Faith was still asleep when Buffy called her house, but her watcher accepted the invitation for lunch on her behalf.

“Will you tell Faith that Uncle Jack wants to take her fishing after lunch if she wants to go so to wear something grungy, okay?” Buffy told her.

“I will relay the message,” Mrs. H said. “See you in a few hours.” She hung up the phone, thoughtful. It seemed that Buffy’s uncle was going to be every bit as welcoming as his niece, and that made Glenda very happy as Faith really needed a strong male role model. Although Rupert was that he was a bit too British for Faith’s taste.

She woke Faith up a little bit after eleven. “Why are you waking me up? It’s not school yet,” she complained.

“We have a lunch invitation that I didn’t think you would want to miss,” Glenda told her.

Faith sat up, blowing her hair out of her face. “Really? Where?” she asked.

“Buffy and her uncle would like us to come over for lunch,” her watcher shared.

Faith smiled. “Cool!” she said. “Buffy told me a lot about her uncle last night and how great he is. She said he has lots of medals, and he’s a war hero. He’s a fighter pilot. Did you know that? I’ve never met a fighter pilot. Do you think he’d take me up in his plane? I bet a jet is way cooler than the plane we rode in—not that that wasn’t cool. It was.” She didn’t want her watcher to think she didn’t appreciate the plane ride.

Glenda gave her an indulgent smile. “Jets are much cooler than passenger planes from what I can tell,” she agreed. “However, he is a colonel now, and no longer flies them.”

“Oh, that’s too bad,” Faith said, looking disappointed.

“But I did hear that he wanted to take you fishing after lunch if you were interested,” she said. “Buffy said for you to wear something grungy—I’m assuming you know what that means.”

Faith laughed, nodding. “Yes. Awesome!” she exclaimed, hopping out of bed. “I better jump in the shower. What time are we supposed to be there?”

“Noon,” she said.

“Crap,” Faith said, looking at her clock. “I’ll have to wash my hair tonight. I’ll probably need another shower anyway. I’ll just wear it pulled in a ponytail.”

“Good idea,” her watcher agreed.

She left her to her privacy as Faith grabbed some old comfortable clothes—the outfit she wore when she went fishing in Oklahoma. Then she ran to the bathroom.

***** _An Hour Later*****_

Jack was getting a real kick out of the new slayer. She was sassy, and her watcher was an imposing and brilliant woman, who Jack liked instantly. When Jack found out Faith knew hockey, he became her number one fan.

“Hey, Boston has the Bruins, which is the oldest hockey team in the NHL based in America, Colonel, so if you’re not a fan of theirs, then you just don’t know hockey!” Faith said. “They have more championships than any American league—that’s six.”

“Yea, I know,” Jack said with a sigh. “I kind of liked the Blackhawks, but I grew up in Minnesota. My dad was a big North Star fan, and I was kind of glad he was dead when they moved to Dallas in ’93. My dad would’ve died of a broken heart if he was still alive. I liked the Wild out of rebellion—just to piss him off really, but after they left, I was glad I did.”

“Yea, that was a pussy move,” Faith said.

“Faith,” Mrs. H said, frowning in disapproval.

Faith just grinned. “It’s the only word that fits, Mrs. H. They were disloyal bitches—that works, too,” she said.

Jack laughed, getting a kick out of the girl.

Buffy just rolled her eyes. “You two are nuts,” she said. “Figure skating is so much better than hockey. That takes actual talent. Hockey is just beating guys up with a stick—so not hard.”

“What?” Jack asked.

“No hockey player could ever do what a pair of figure skaters could do,” Buffy said. “They’re not even half the athletes.”

The three of them broke into a very loud argument with Buffy taking on both Faith and Jack while Glenda listened for several minutes. Finally, she decided the argument had went on entirely too long.

“That’s enough,” she called in her commanding voice. She didn’t have to yell, but she had a voice that just drew people to her.

“You two come to the ice rink sometimes, and I’ll run circles around you both,” Buffy said, getting last word.

Glenda gave her a pointed look and then cut off Faith before she could respond.

“Didn’t you have plans for this afternoon?” she asked Jack.

“Oh, Buffy says you like to fish? Do you want to go fishing with me? There’s a lake not far from the college campus we can go to,” Jack said. “Lieutenant Anderson told me about it. I think he’d like to go with us next time.”

“I only went the one time with Mrs. H’s son-in-law and little dude, but I caught this really big fish,” Faith said. “It was fun.”

“How can you stand fishing?” Buffy asked her. “We’re not built to sit still for long periods of time.”

“You can train yourself to mediate,” Mrs. H said. “Fishing can be just another type of mediation for some.”

“See,” Jack said, flashing his niece a smug smile.

Buffy stuck her tongue out at him. “It’s the lamest sport ever. Calling it a sport it an insult to sports!” she declared.

Faith laughed. “Well, I’m not sure I’d call it a sport, but I thought it was kind of cool,” she said. “It was kind of relaxing and fun, I thought.”

“That’s exactly that it is. Don’t listen to Buffy downer here,” Jack said.

“Buffy, if you don’t want to go fishing with them, would you like to come swim in our pool?” Mrs. H offered.

Buffy’s eyes lit up. “Oh, that’d be very cool. It’s been a while since I’ve enjoyed a pool,” she said.

“You should call Willow and Xander,” Mrs. H suggested. She didn’t want Buffy to feel abandoned by her uncle or jealous even though Buffy didn’t really seem the jealous type.

“That’s a good idea,” Jack said, flashing the older woman a pleased smile.

“We’ll bring back dinner,” Faith said.

“That sounds like a plan,” Jack said. “Do you have a grill at your place?”

Glenda shook her head no. “We don’t,” she said.

“Well, I’ll bring ours over, and we can grill our fish that we catch. I’ll teach Faith how to prepare fish,” Jack said.

“You do that,” Buffy said, making a grimace and shuddering.

“You kill demons,” Faith pointed out.

“That’s what I say!” Jack exclaimed, laughing.

“Yea, but I don’t eat them!” Buffy said. “Not to mention, I don’t play with their guts and insides!” She shuddered again.

Faith laughed. “No one told me that you were such a _girl_ ,” she said.

“Of course, I’m a girl!” Buffy said with a huff.

“Come on, Faith,” Jack said. “I have an extra pole you can use.” He knew it was time to pull them a part before a brawl broke out.”

Glenda smiled. “If you want to grab your suit, I will walk you over,” she said.

“I’ll call Willow real fast, too,” she said. “Have fun.” She gave her uncle a hug and waved at Faith.

Faith was excited that her sister slayer was willing to share her life—the least she could do was share her pool.

Buffy was just glad that the new slayer was willing to go fishing with her uncle, or he would have eventually dragged her to his lake!

****** _Chapter End******_

_I hope you enjoyed the update. Reviews and kudos keep me motivated and let me know you still care about the story. Thanks for reading!_


	16. Beach Time

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I will admit to having a bit of difficulty writing this story due to school starting back. I’m so mentally wiped that I don’t have a lot of energy left over. The HP one-shots are just easier to write as they don’t require as much mental excursion as this story. Not to mention, it’s problematic that I have two stories with Faith in season 3, and they are very different. It’s a challenge to write Faith and Buffy differently in each. Now that Buffy is back in Sunnydale season 3 events will begin. 
> 
> I do apologize for the 5 month wait for an update. I've never ever made readers wait this long for an update. So sorry!

***** _A Week Later*****_

Buffy was finally able to enter house without expecting her mom to greet her. She also convinced her uncle to take over her mother’s room, which he had been reluctant to do. When she told him that the more different the room looked, the better she would feel, he agreed. Buffy stayed three days in Sunnydale, and then spent a few days in Los Angeles with her father, who decided to fly in to take her back-to-school shopping. It meant that Buffy had to tell him about her uncle’s transfer to Sunnydale and her desire to graduate with her friends.

Hank understood and promised to fly back to the States for Thanksgiving while she’d fly there for Christmas, and he wanted Buffy to commit to Spring Break in Japan. Then he would be back in the States permanently again by the summer. They had fun when he was in town for the week. He slept his first day and did some business his second, and then she had joined him. He had not sold in condo in Los Angeles that he had moved to after he divorced Buffy’s mom. Her room was exactly as she had left it the last time she visited. Hank seemed more attentive now that her mother was gone. It was like he didn’t feel like he had to compete anymore or something—it was weird. However, Buffy was grateful that he seemed to be making a real effort. It had hurt when he had canceled on her first birthday in Sunnydale. Now, though, she felt closer to him than ever.

It made Buffy sad that it took her mother dying for them to get to this point, but she was happy to have him. Mostly, though, she was grateful that he didn’t want to tear her away from her uncle or Sunnydale. When he learned about her life in Sunnydale, would he be the same? She knew that when he came in for Thanksgiving, she would have to come clean with him.

Faith was on her way over, so they could spar in the backyard. It would be the first time that she’d had a chance to do so.

Mrs. H came over with Faith, but she never called Giles, which seemed to surprise Faith’s watcher.

“It’s the weekend, and he considers that time off unless there’s trouble a brewing,” Buffy said with a shrug. “I’m sure he’ll get a chance to see us spar some time.”

Jack, though, wasn’t about to miss it. They were using Buffy’s backyard since it gave them enough space and none of her neighbors ever seemed to be in their backyard.

“Remember, Buffy, Faith has not your experience,” Mrs. H said.

“Don’t worry,” Buffy said. “I won’t hurt her—much.” She winked at Faith, who seemed focused and not in the mood to talk smack.

Faith wanted to not embarrass herself and hoped she’d do okay against the more experienced slayer. Buffy not only had two years on her, but she’d been training with her uncle’s military for the months she was in Colorado.

They started out slow—each trying to feel the other out. Then by mutual agreement, they picked up speed. Jack was impressed with Faith, who seemed able to match his niece hit for hit. Then Buffy did the kick she was always doing against Teal’c. However, Faith managed to dodge it, and she swung hard at Buffy’s face. The hit connected, and she blanched, concerned that she might’ve hurt Buffy. This, though, caused Buffy to relax more. Faith was more of a natural fighter than Kendra, so Buffy stopped holding back.

Mrs. H was not surprised that Buffy was so good, but she did admire the girl’s self-control. Faith’s hit to the face didn’t make her angry—it seemed to reassure her that Faith could hold her own. The speed of the fight picked up, and she watched as Faith fought at a level that she’d never before reached. This was exactly what Glenda had been hoping for. Faith finally had someone that she didn’t have to worry about hurting, who could push her to go further in her fighting abilities. Buffy seemed to be enjoying the fight, and she kept changing up her forms. This constant form changing would throw Faith each time, and Buffy would get a hit or kick in. It was clear that Rupert had taught Buffy much, but she couldn’t help but wonder how much the older slayer had learned from her uncle and the military.

Faith felt exhilarated as she kept being pushed by Buffy to match her hits, and Faith was surprised that she could do so. The fast pace didn’t seem to cause her to falter—it made her fight more on instinct, which seemed to cause her to fight better. Then Buffy started with the gymnastics, which caught her off guard even more than the constant form change. Buffy flipped over her head, and she turned quickly to face her. However, Buffy moved and swept her leg when Faith had been anticipating a face hit.

Faith went down and moved to jump up, but Buffy was already on top of her, hitting her in the face and pinning her to the ground.

“That was great!” Buffy said, getting up and offering Faith her hand. “You are a much better fighter than Kendra was.”

“Really?” Faith asked surprised. “She was council raised and training all her life.”

“That’s true, but it made her very methodical. I could always anticipate her moves,” Buffy said. “She had no imagination, and she didn’t fight with any passion. I’m not surprised that she didn’t last long.”

“It is an unfortunate by-product of too much training in one or two forms,” Mrs. H said. “I am impressed that you know so many different forms.”

“She’s pretty much a savant,” Jack said. “Before she was called, she was into ice skating and gymnastics.”

“Oh, so that wasn’t a slayer thing?” Faith asked. “You surprised me with the flips.”

“I get bored and like to change it up,” Buffy said with a grin. “Spike and Angelus are or were brawlers, so I got that from them. Angel taught me Tai Chi and some Krav Maga. My first watcher Merrick taught me boxing and Tai Kwon Do while Giles added kickboxing and some Kung Fu. The military guys are more brawler and boxers, but Teal’c has an entire new style he was teaching me. We use staffs with it—it’s awesome.”

“Can you teach me?” Faith asked.

“Of course,” Buffy said. “Maybe Teal’c will come visit, and you can learn from him. He’s very stoic and large.”

“Mrs. H’s son-in-law was a big guy, too,” Faith said.

“So what do you want to do now?” Buffy asked. “We have classes starting tomorrow. This is our last day of vacation.”

“I’ve not gone to the beach yet,” Faith said.

“Oh, that’s great. We can have a cook-out and play volleyball,” Buffy said, her eyes lighting up.

“What about surfing? Do you surf? I’ve always wanted to try that,” she said.

“I’ve surfed, but I’m not sure I have a board still,” Buffy said. “It might be in the attic. I’ll check. I’m sure Xander has one. He told me once that he and Jesse use to surf sometimes. I don’t think he’s done it much since Jesse died. Why don’t you call him and Willow? I’ll go look for my surfboard.”

“Do you want them to meet here?” she asked.

“Have them meet at your house,” Buffy said. “Uncle Jack, do you want to come and man the grill?”

“Of course!” Jack said with a grin. “Burgers and dogs?”

“Yep!” Buffy said. “Get the good dogs, not the cheap ones.”

“Well, I will make a fruit salad,” Mrs. H offered. “I will call Rupert and see if he would like to join us.”

“Cool,” Buffy said. “Tell him to bring Ms. Calendar. She’ll play volleyball with us—she’s cool like that.”

An hour later, they all were gathered together at the beach for an afternoon of fun in the sun. Faith could never remember a time when she’d had so much fun. Swimming the week before had been fun, but she’d been too nervous to relax. Watching Buffy’s uncle grill while chatting with the watchers gave her a sense of family that she had never had before. Xander was talking Cordelia into renting a paddle board while Willow and Oz were on s’mores duty. Buffy was putting up the volley net that she had found in her attic when she located her surfboard.

When Xander made it back with the paddle board, Buffy sent over instructions for surfing with Faith. She was using Xander’s surfboard as he didn’t surf anymore because it was the thing he did with Jesse.

“It doesn’t seem too hard,” Faith said.

“It’s not really,” Buffy said. “It’s just waves are unpredictable, so you never know what will happen. Keep an eye out for sharks.”

“Sharks? You’re kidding, right?” Faith asked, her eyes wide.

“No,” Buffy said. “Sharks share the ocean with us, but they rarely attack. Still, it’s good to know if you spot him.”

“If I get bit by a shark, I expect to be avenged!” Faith said.

“Don’t worry. I’ll slay any shark that tries to bite us,” Buffy said with a laugh.

Jack had his cell phone out to film the girls’ maiden voyage.

It wasn’t too surprising that Buffy managed to catch a wave, but he was impressed when Faith was able to on her first try.

Faith was very excited when they made it back to the beach. “I still can’t believe I did it! That was the coolest thing I have ever done—even cooler than catching a fish,” she said.

“Now don’t get carried away,” Jack said, smiling at her.

“She’s a natural,” Buffy said.

“’Cause she’s got that slayer athleticness,” Willow said. She was wearing a bathing suit cover that covered her arms and a big sun hat.

“I can surf,” Cordelia said. She’d been back in town a week, and she had been very excited to find out the new changes that were happening. Cordelia loved that they were only allowed to go slaying twice a week and was starting her new training regime this week. It meant more time with Xander and her other friends, who she’d been neglecting.

Willow gave her a sour look. “Well, aren’t you special,” she muttered.

Faith was surprised at Willow’s comments and attitude because she’d only seen the sunny and sweet side of her. It made her like Willow more, though, to see her cattiness.

“I know I am,” Cordelia said, tossing her hair, unoffended. She was in a red one-piece that was a bit skimpier than Faith’s.

Faith wasn’t sure how to take Xander’s girlfriend. At times, she found her sarcasm amusing, but she knew from Willow that the girl had been a real bully to Willow throughout her life. It made Faith not want to like her. The fact that Xander was dating her had to hurt the sweet and shy girl.

“You have many gifts, Willow, that the others do not have,” Mrs. H said. “There is no reason to be jealous. I, personally, do not see the appeal of surfing either. Relaxing on the beach with a good book is much more my speed.”

Willow gave her a grateful smile, perking up. “Me, too!” she said.

Buffy flashed the other Watcher a pleased smile. She still wasn’t sure how she felt about the other watcher as she was a bit high-handed for Buffy’s taste. However, she was also very fair-minded and sensitive to all of them in a way that Giles was not. It must be because she had raised two daughters.

Jack enjoyed watching the group dynamics, always amused by the extraordinary teenagers. “I hope you all are working up an appetite because the grill is hot enough to start cooking,” he said.

“Oh, I am always ready to eat!” Faith said, grinning.

“We could play volleyball,” Buffy said.

“You need to work on that tan,” Cordelia said, looking at Buffy’s light skin. “Faith’s spent the summer using her pool. You were on an island for like a month—didn’t you spend any time in the sun?”

“I was in Japan—not a beach,” Buffy said. “I only made it to the beach once. There’s a lot to see and do in Japan.”

“Too much sun is not good for you,” Mrs. H said. “Skin cancer is a real thing, you know.”

Cordelia rolled her eyes. “We live on a hellmouth—dying of cancer is for old people. We might not survive the school year, so it is important that we always look our best. Nothing worse that a dead body that the mortician can’t make attractive,” she said.

Mrs. H didn’t know what to say to her disturbing frankness and shared a look with Jack, who looked very grim at her words.

“You are such a drama queen,” Buffy said. “I went to school with a guy who had a brain tumor, remember?”

“Oh, yea, the one who tried to feed you to Spike?” Cordelia recalled.

“That was only because he was scared and desperate. He was a good guy until he was dying,” Buffy said loyally.

“Okay, that’s enough bickering,” Mrs. H said, finding the girls revelations more than a tad much. “This is supposed to be fun.”

“Come paddleboard with me, Cordy,” Xander called out, pulling the girl toward him.

Jack was happy that the kids were finally behaving like kids even if they sometimes had a fatalistic outlook on life and death. Buffy was smiling as she let Willow put sunscreen on her back while Faith kept talking about riding her wave.

When Oz arrived to join them, the group was complete.

“Now we can totally build sandcastles,” Willow said, pulling her boyfriend down in the sand. “Oz can help me. He’s good at it.”

“How do you know that?” Oz asked, giving her a fond smile. “We’ve never been to the beach before.”

“Well, you’re good at everything,” Willow said with a shrug.

Oz chuckled. “Not true, but I appreciate your faith in me,” he said.

Of course, Glenda was not surprised to see that the young man was very good at building elaborate sandcastles.

****** _The Mayor’s Office******_

Mayor Richard Wilkins listened as his Deputy Mayor Alan Finch gave his report. 

“So we now have two slayers in town, and a highly decorated Air Force Officer working at the university and caring for Buffy Summers, the original slayer,” he said. “Do I think this is a good idea?”

“Well, they will keep the demon population in line until your big day,” Alan reminded him.

“That’s true,” Wilkins said, his eyes bright. “Can’t have anything interrupt my big day. What are Spike and Drusilla up to these days? Those crazy kids keep this town fun.”

“Spike fought the new slayer and seems pleased with her,” Alan said. “According to the night shift guys, he is very happy Buffy Summers is back in town as he found the other slayer a lot less fun.”

The mayor chuckled. “He’s such a crazy vamp. I would really love to get a meeting with him. Do you think you can arrange that, Alan?” he asked.

“Well, as I’m human and he’s a vampire, I’m not sure I’m the best choice,” Alan said, gulping nervously.

“You might be right—he is a bit impulsive,” Wilkins said. He looked at his vampire bodyguard. “Why don’t you try and make contact, Rick? See if he will come in for a meeting at sundown tomorrow?”

“Yes, boss,” Rick said. “I’ll get on it.”

The mayor smiled. “We will have to get something good for him to drink. Who do we have in lock up?” he asked.

“I-I don’t know,” Alan said, feeling sick.

“Well, find out. A nice pedophile would be a public service and be refreshing for our guest,” Wilkins said. “Drug dealers would be acceptable, too. No jaywalkers, though. I keep telling Chief Monroe to stop arresting people for misdemeanors, but he keeps doing it.” Wilkins gave a longsuffering smile. To have a police chief willing to ignore his activities and the vampires in town meant compromises had to be made. Too bad the guy was somewhat of an imbecile.

Of course, that made bending the chief to his will extremely easy.

Spike was crafty and probably not nearly as malleable.

Still—he would never be boring.

***** _Chapter End*****_

_Not sure if this is worth the long wait, but I do appreciate comments or kudos. Thanks for reading._


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